Florida, New York primary races to watch: DeSantis challenger chosen, Nadler versus Maloney

Voters in two of the country’s largest states will further animate the fall midterms with a primary forcing at least one longtime House member out of Congress and another that could blunt the ambitions of a Republican on the short list of 2024 presidential contenders.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis is among the top Republican names among potential presidential contenders in 2024. But first he must win reelection, and Democrats would love to thwart those White House ambitions, even as the Sunshine State has drifted toward the GOP in recent years.

Floridians will also set the table for their Senate race, where Rep. Val Demings is expected to prevail as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

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The other races to watch on Tuesday take place in New York, where Democrats have a few intraparty clashes, with incumbents battling each other because of the state Legislature’s redistricting process.

Two House committee chairs, Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, have been engaged in a heated primary after a state court combined their two congressional districts.

And in a year when House Democrats are at risk of losing their House majority, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the leader of their 2022 campaign organization, faces a tough reelection against a progressive foe in a district that could be competitive this fall.

Here’s what is ahead in the Aug. 23 primaries.

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Can Democrats stop DeSantis' rise?

DeSantis has become one of the most popular figures among conservative activists and donors, especially for his resistance to COVID-19 restrictions and public jousts with liberal-leaning companies and groups on cultural issues.

He is one of the few GOP names thought to pose an alternative or serious challenge to former President Donald Trump, who may announce his attempt to return to the White House.

Democrats hope to end DeSantis’ momentum, however.

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In the four-person Democratic gubernatorial primary, Rep. Charlie Crist, a former governor, and Nikki Fried, the state agriculture commissioner, are considered the top contenders.

For most of the race, Crist – a former Republican turned independent turned Democrat – was considered the front-runner, but recent public surveys suggest the contest may have shifted.

A University of North Florida poll released last week showed Fried, who is looking to become Florida’s first female governor, holding a 4-point lead. The two have been flinging mud at each other in tough TV spots, according to local reports.

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Even if Florida Democrats heal the primary rift, the UNF poll shows Crist and Fried trailing DeSantis among registered voters in a head-to-head contest by about the same margin.

For Senate, Demings vs. Rubio likely

Democrats defending their Senate majority wouldn’t mind if Republican incumbent Rubio had to work harder for reelection this year.

Demings, a former Orlando police chief, is the favorite in the four-person primary.

Democrats have won just two statewide elections in Florida since 2010, and Rubio's seat is considered a safe GOP contest by most political forecasters.

Multiple surveys in the past month, however, have shown Demings is picking up some steam, with her either tied with Rubio or leading. The UNF poll released Aug. 16, for example, shows the congresswoman ahead by 4 percentage points in a head-to-head contest versus Rubio.

Nadler, Maloney face off in New York

The New York Legislature's redistricting process was one of the more interesting political dramas of 2022, with state courts tossing out the maps passed by lawmakers.

One of the consequences will be felt Tuesday, when voters in Manhattan choose between two House committee chairs who carry 30 years of experience.

Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Maloney, chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee, have similar voting records as liberal stalwarts.

Polls had them neck-to-neck until recently, when sentiments appear to have broken for Nadler, who was at the forefront of the Trump impeachments.

This past week, he received a surprise endorsement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who broke with the rest of the New York delegation that had remained largely silent about the intraparty fight.

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DCCC chair in trouble?

Sticking with the Empire State and its new districts, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney is having to juggle dual roles. As chief of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he is overseeing the effort to save the party’s House majority against historic headwinds.

In the new New York 17th Congressional District, which gobbled up parts of his old district, he is running against state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who has been endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has a history of being the underdog who defeats a powerful incumbent.

During the 2018 elections, she upset state Sen. Jeff Klein, who was considered a New York Democratic juggernaut.

In this campaign, Biaggi has blasted Maloney as out of touch with the Hudson Valley district, saying he cares more about expedient politics than core liberal values.

Maloney, who was endorsed by The New York Times, argues voters care more about pragmatic results than outspoken activism. He has been focusing on what Democrats have achieved, such as the 2021 infrastructure deal and the climate and health care provisions in the anti-inflation package passed this month. by Congress.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Primary races to watch: Florida picks DeSantis rival, NY Dems clash