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Mario Diaz-Balart defeats Democratic challenger

Mrs. Gemstone via Flickr

Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart won reelection to a U.S. House seat that includes parts of Southwest Florida. The Associated Press made the call just after the polls closed at 7 p.m.

The 26th District stretches across southern Florida from parts of Collier County to Hialeah and the northwestern suburbs of Miami. The district is majority Hispanic.

Diaz-Balart is the longest-serving member of the Florida congressional delegation, first elected in 2002.
He is the son of Cuban refugees and a founding member of a caucus for Hispanic Republicans. He defeated Democrat Joey Atkins.