State Rep. James Buchanan will be the Republican nominee for Florida Senate District 22 after defeating Sarasota County Hospital Board member Vic Rohe by roughly 78% to 22% Tuesday, Aug. 18, collecting 48,916 votes to Rohe's 13,865.

Three-way race set for November

The definitive result sets up a three-way general election Nov. 3 for the seat, which represents all of Sarasota County and southern Manatee County. Buchanan will face Democrat Lew Wasserman, a former law professor and attorney, and no-party-affiliation candidate Martin Hyde, a Sarasota business owner who previously ran for City Commission in 2017.

The winner replaces termed-out state Sen. Joe Gruters, who has held the seat since 2018.

"We need to find ways to drive down the cost of living in the state of Florida," Buchanan told The Daily Sun on election night, calling himself a fiscal conservative focused on affordability.

Buchanan's legislative record

Buchanan, who owns Sarasota-based real estate agency Amerestate Global, served on the House Commerce Committee during his time representing House District 74. He co-sponsored House Bill 1389, which updated the Live Local Act's zoning rules and tax exemptions in 2026, and has pushed legislation targeting homeowners association abuses.

At a July 30 Venice Area Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, Buchanan said the Legislature under his watch "put the government on a diet," cutting the budget while granting tax relief.

Rohe reflects on the loss

Rohe, a longtime Republican leader in Sarasota County and former New York Police Department lieutenant, told The Daily Sun he believed he performed well in early voting and Election Day ballots but fell behind in vote-by-mail returns. He first won elected office on the Sarasota County Hospital Board after the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing Sarasota Memorial Hospital was making poor treatment decisions.

Buchanan's margin held across both counties in the district. In the Manatee County portion alone, he took 79% of the vote, according to AMI Sun tallies.

Party leaders congratulate Buchanan

The Florida Republican Party congratulated Buchanan on X, calling him a proven conservative ready to fight for Florida families. State Sen. Jim Boyd, who represents neighboring District 20, also posted congratulations Aug. 18.

The general election is Nov. 3. No debates or joint forums for the three-way race have been announced.