State Rep. Ralph Massullo won the Republican nomination Tuesday in the special election for Florida Senate District 11, defeating Anthony Brice by a wide margin.
Massullo, a Lecanto physician who has served in the Florida House since 2016, received 22,524 votes, or about 79.5 percent. Brice, a Hernando County resident, collected 5,798 votes, or just over 20 percent. In all, 28,322 ballots were cast in the GOP primary, according to unofficial results from the Florida Division of Elections.
The district covers Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, and part of Pasco counties.
The seat was left vacant after former Sen. Blaise Ingoglia was appointed state chief financial officer earlier this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The winner of the special election will complete Ingoglia’s term.
Shortly after his candidacy was announced in July, Gov. Ron DeSantis offered his endorsement.
“Succeeding Blaise Ingoglia in the Senate will be a tough act to follow, but if anyone can do it, Ralph Massullo can,” Gov. DeSantis said. “Ralph has my support to be the next senator from Senate District 11!”
Massullo will face Democrat Ash Marwah in the Dec. 9 general election.
