AP Race Call: Republican John Rutherford wins reelection to U.S. House in Florida’s 5th Congressional District

Republican Rep. John Rutherford won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Florida on Tuesday. The 5th District includes most of Jacksonville and its western and southern suburbs, including the historic St. Augustine. Rutherford was first elected to Congress in 2016, after the Republican who held the seat retired. Prior to that, he spent more than four decades in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, including winning three terms as the elected head of the office. Rutherford defeated Democrat Jay McGovern. The Associated Press declared Rutherford the winner at 7:18 p.m. EST.