Miami state Rep. Vicki Lopez wins tough reelection fight as GOP coasts in Florida

Miami Republican incumbent Vicki Lopez fended off a Democratic challenger to keep her Florida House seat that covers Key Biscayne, Dodge Island and coastal Miami neighborhoods like Coconut Grove.

Lopez, 66, earned herself the title “Condo Queen” when she came into office in 2022 following the tragic Surfside collapse and enacted a series of condominium reforms.

But she came under fire during this election cycle after the investigative news outlet, The Tributary, reported that she used her position in office to help her son professionally, causing the Miami Herald editorial board to switch its endorsement to Lopez’s Democratic challenger, Jacqueline “Jackie” Gross-Kellogg, 56.

Lopez was leading with nearly 54% of the vote for House District 113 with almost half of the Miami-Dade precincts reported on Tuesday.

Lopez could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. She was one of eight Republicans in the House targeted by Democrats on Tuesday in an effort to break the conservative supermajority in that chamber. Just after 8 p.m., the only Florida Republican incumbent losing was Windermere state Rep. Carolina Amesty, who was federally indicted for forgery in August.

Other seats Democrats targeted in the House included House District 106, which stretches from Aventura to Miami Beach. Republican incumbent Fabián Basabe, who was sued by two former staffers for sexual harassment, was beating former Democratic state Rep. Joe Saunders by more than four points by the time of publication.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:30 PM.