Wilton Simpson won Florida’s Republican primary for agriculture commissioner on August 18 with 70.3% of the vote, defeating challenger Matt Taylor and securing the party’s nomination for a second term. Simpson received 25,542 votes to Taylor’s 10,790 in a race where the incumbent’s financial advantage and high-profile endorsements proved decisive.
Simpson, 60, has served as Florida’s 13th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services since January 2023, following his election to the post in the 2022 general election with 59.3% of the vote. A fifth-generation Floridian and lifelong farmer, Simpson previously served as President of the Florida Senate and now owns a large-scale egg-laying operation.
The primary victory advances Simpson to the November general election, where he will face the winner of the Democratic primary. On the Democratic side, attorney and sports agent Joey Mendoza Atkins won with 63.73% of the vote against law enforcement officer Donald Prichard, who received 36.27%.
Simpson entered the 2026 race with a commanding financial position. According to reporting before the election, he had raised more than $30 million in campaign funds, compared with Taylor’s roughly $269,000. The disparity reflected Simpson’s establishment backing and deep ties to agricultural and business interests across Florida.
The incumbent secured endorsements from President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, both of whom publicly backed his re-election bid. According to WLRN, Simpson’s support came from sugar growers, ranchers, supermarkets, lobbyists, and other agricultural stakeholders, underscoring his influence within the industry he regulates.
Taylor, known on social media as “Matt the Welder,” had attempted to position himself as a challenger to the political establishment. Despite his grassroots appeal and social-media following, Taylor struggled to match Simpson’s organizational resources and party support, limiting his path to victory in a closed Republican primary.
Simpson’s decisive primary victory suggests he enters the general election as the favorite to retain the office. In 2022, he defeated Democrat Naomi Blemur with 59.3% of the vote, a margin that reflected Republican strength in statewide races that year. The agriculture commissioner position oversees the state’s $226 billion agricultural industry and consumer protection regulations.
Sources
- Florida Election Night Reporting (enr.electionsfl.org) — Official Republican primary results showing Simpson 70.30%, Taylor 29.70%; Democratic primary results showing Atkins 63.73%, Prichard 36.27%
- WLRN — Simpson’s campaign fundraising, endorsements from Trump and DeSantis, and agricultural stakeholder support
- Florida Phoenix — Simpson’s pre-election campaign cash position and status as frontrunner
- Ballotpedia — Simpson’s 2022 general election victory with 59.3% of the vote and his background as former Florida Senate President
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) — Simpson’s official biography and current role as the 13th Commissioner of Agriculture
