Republican incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart wins U.S. House District 26 race in landslide

Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart handily defeated Democratic challenger Christine Olivo in Tuesday's race for the 26th Congressional District, securing an 11th term in office.

Diaz held 71 percent of the vote, with 99 percent reporting as of Wednesday morning.

“I am so humbled and honored that the voters of FL26 have overwhelmingly decided to send me to represent them in Congress again," Diaz-Balart said in a statement. "I will continue to deliver for the voters of the district and fight on their behalf for freedom, economic prosperity and a safer nation.”

The new District 26 was reshaped during Florida’s contentious redistricting process. It covers the southern portion of the former District 25, stretching from parts of Miami and Hialeah, through the Big Cypress National Preserve into parts of Collier County east of Naples city limits, including Lely, Golden Gate and part of Immokalee.

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District 26 voted for former President Donald Trump by 18.4 points in the 2020 election. Diaz-Balart, 61, had no opponents on the 2020 ballot and defeated a Democratic challenger with 60.5% of the vote in 2018.

Olivo, a 38-year-old Catholic school teacher and Miami native, campaigned on raising the minimum wage, protecting union rights and loosening income requirements for federal housing programs. She also endorsed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and federal legislation to protect abortion rights following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.

In a statement, Olivo said she knew the race would not be easy and promised that she was "not going anywhere."

"58,000 votes and counting showed the amount of people that voted for change, and I refuse to leave them behind," Olivo said. "If losing was supposed to get rid of me then I shouldn’t be running for Congress."

Diaz' performance was strong across the district, with 72 percent of the vote in Collier County and 70 percent in Miami-Dade.

Diaz-Balart touted his record of securing federal dollars for Florida's infrastructure, including billions for storm and climate resiliency. He also targeted the Biden administration's energy policy, endorsing additional domestic drilling to bring down fuel costs.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: U.S. House District 26 election: Diaz-Balart wins seat