What DeSantis' win means for Florida

FLORIDA — Republican Ron DeSantis is Florida’s new governor elect, despite the majority of voters in several Central Florida counties voting for his Democratic opponent.

The majority of voters in Osceola, Orange and Seminole counties voted for Andrew Gillum. But with strong support elsewhere in the state, DeSantis captured 55,000 more votes to claim Florida’s governor seat.

President Donald Trump chimed in on Twitter Wednesday morning congratulating DeSantis on his win.

In a speech Tuesday night, DeSantis thanked all of his supporters for the huge amounts of dedication and effort during the campaign.

In the position, DeSantis will be able to appoint three members to the Florida Supreme Court. He will also have a hand in congressional redistricting after the 2020 Census, which will have impacts on the state’s congressional races going forward.

His win also makes Jeanette Nunez only the third female lieutenant governor in Florida history.

DeSantis said Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran, former Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings and former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux will chair the transition team.

The campaign's chair, Susie Wiles, will serve as executive director and DeSantis' former chief of staff, Scott Parkinson, will be deputy executive director.

DeSantis promised to keep the state's taxes low and protect taxpayer dollars. He also promised to protect Florida's environment by stopping red tides and restoring the Everglades.

In a concession speech, Andrew Gillum attributed his loss to low voter turnout among Democrats.

He said he called to congratulate DeSantis, but added that a congratulatory call is in no way an endorsement of his opponents' policies.

"We still have to be willing to show up every single day and demand our seat at the table. We've got to be willing, inside of elections and outside of elections, to say that our voices still matter. That we still have relevance," Gillum said.

Cox Media Group