Democrat wins Brevard County House seat after recount
Dan McDow defeated Monique Miller by 286 votes, ending the GOP supermajority in Tallahassee.
By Ricardo Alvarez ·
Florida’s legislative balance shifted Tuesday after a mandatory machine recount in Brevard County.
The county supervisor of elections office certified the results for state House District 33. Democrat Dan McDow received 36,428 votes, while Republican Monique Miller received 36,142. The 286 vote difference fell below the threshold required to trigger a manual recount.
McDow, a former West Melbourne City Council member, will assume the seat that Miller held. The margin was sufficient to change the party composition of the lower chamber.
According to the News Service of Florida, Democrats have now flipped 17 seats in the Florida House. This shift reduces the Republican majority. The new chamber will consist of 70 Republicans and 50 Democrats.
McDow confirmed he is the 50th Democrat in the new body. He stated he would travel to Tallahassee the following day for orientation and training. "I'm number 50," McDow said. "I'll be going to Tallahassee tomorrow for orientation and training. So it's going to move pretty quick."
During his campaign, McDow surveyed 36,000 residents in the district. He said the residents prioritized transparency and low corruption. He noted they want representatives who work together to pass legislation. "Enough of these colors," McDow said. "I'm a proud Democrat, but I can't emphasize enough that I work for all the district."
