Overview
- No candidate won a majority in the Aug. 19 vote, so Democrat Tiffany Moore Russell and Republican Chris Messina will meet in a runoff held alongside the November general election.
- Moore Russell led the field with roughly 32% of the vote while Messina finished near 27%, outcomes officials say were aided by Democrats splitting support among multiple candidates.
- Former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who spent heavily and had major endorsements, conceded on election night after finishing third.
- Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, who placed fourth, says she will resign her commission seat in early December and remains under investigation by the Florida Ethics Commission over a 2024 tickets complaint.
- The winner will run county operations that include an over $9 billion budget and about 8,400 employees, and early endorsements from local Democrats and tourism leaders are already coalescing behind Moore Russell while Messina emphasizes tax and fiscal changes.