Incumbent Republican Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart has secured re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives for a 13th term, emerging victorious in a closely contested race for Florida’s 26th Congressional District following mid-decade redistricting.
Final election tabulations show Díaz-Balart prevailing over Democratic challenger Nicole Locklin and No-Party-Affiliation candidate Deborah Ann Meidinger Hosey.
Official Vote Breakdown:
- Mario Díaz-Balart (R): 114,547 votes (49.9%)
- Nicole Locklin (D): 112,775 votes (49.1%)
- Deborah Ann Meidinger Hosey (NPA): ~1.0%
Díaz-Balart led the race by 1,772 votes (a margin of 0.77 percentage points). Because the final margin exceeded Florida’s mandatory 0.5% machine recount threshold, the results officially seal the victory without requiring a recount.
Key Factors & Election Night Context
The updated district boundaries created a clear geographic divide across South Florida. Locklin delivered a strong performance in the Broward County portion of the district, but strong voter turnout in Miami-Dade County carried Díaz-Balart across the finish line to hold the seat.
Brief election night confusion occurred when an initial Associated Press data entry report error temporarily swapped vote totals, leading Locklin’s campaign to briefly claim victory. County election supervisors quickly rectified the reporting glitch, confirming Díaz-Balart’s steady lead as final precincts were tallied.
With this victory, Díaz-Balart continues his long-standing representation of South Florida communities in Washington, D.C.
