In Florida, a significant political event unfolded as voters went to the polls, resulting in the reinstatement of one of two Democratic state attorneys previously ousted by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Monique Worrell successfully regained her position in the Orlando area, defeating Andrew Bain, whom DeSantis appointed as her replacement last year. Bain ran as an independent candidate. Conversely, in the Tampa region, Andrew Warren, who was also dismissed by DeSantis in 2022, conceded victory to Suzy Lopez, the Republican who took over after his removal.

Governor DeSantis had accused Worrell of neglecting to prosecute offenses committed by minors and failing to enforce mandatory minimum sentences for gun-related crimes, which he claimed endangered the community in her Central Florida district. Worrell, however, strongly refuted these allegations, labeling them as politically motivated and unfounded.

Celebrating her success with supporters on Tuesday evening, Worrell paid tribute to her late father, who passed away unexpectedly in June. She recounted his words to her before his death: “Go get your seat back.” Worrell expressed gratitude to voters for their support, highlighting their rejection of DeSantis’s narrative with the statement, “We don’t believe you, Ron DeSantis.”

Warren, removed from his role over commitments he made not to prosecute individuals seeking or providing abortions and gender transition treatments, as well as for his stance on certain minor offenses, also shared his thoughts on the election outcome. He noted in a statement, “I’m proud of the race we ran. The best candidate doesn’t always win, especially when the other side cheats — illegally suspending you, then spending millions of dollars lying about you.”

As for the office of the governor, there has been no immediate response to inquiries following the elections on Wednesday.