ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida made it official Monday — President Trump won Florida in November.
What You Need To Know
- State electors meeting across the country Monday to formally vote
- President Trump wins Florida's 29 electoral votes
- Results from across the country will be sent to Congress ahead of a January 6 joint session
- READ: The List of Florida's 29 Electors, via the Florida Division of Elections
- RELATED:
Florida's Electoral College on Monday formally cast its 29 electoral votes for the president in Tallahassee.
One of those electors, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, was not in the Florida Senate chamber for the vote Monday though, because he tested positive for coronavirus.
In a letter to Governor DeSantis, Simpson, a Republican whose Senate district represents Citrus, Hernando and part of Pasco counties, said he won't be able to attend the electors meeting because of his positive test, but he looks forward to voting for President Trump.
#Florida Senate President @WiltonSimpson, a Republican presidential elector, has tested positive for COVID & won’t be attending today’s #ElectoralCollege meeting in Tallahassee, he’s informing @GovRonDeSantis pic.twitter.com/0GECQH6fpN
— Troy Kinsey (@TroyKinsey) December 14, 2020
Across the country, electors are doing the same.
With 270 votes to be elected, President-elect Joe Biden is the projected winner with 306 electoral votes, while President Trump has 232 projected electoral votes.
Results collected Monday will be sent to Washington D.C. and tallied in a January 6 joint session of Congress, lead by Vice President Mike Pence.
Electors in all but two states, Maine and Nebraska, are bound by state rules to vote the way of the popular vote in their state, but political analyst Frank Torres wouldn't rule out any surprises.
"The peaceful transition of power has been what this country has prided itself on since its creation, and after such a turbulent and controversial election, it's going to see if anyone strays off the path a little bit today," Torres said.
Although electors across the country could change their minds, that should not change the outcome. Torres expects Biden and Harris to still come out on top.
"It's over. It's time to move on. And I think the states, traditionally, as it's been designed by our founding fathers, takes another step in doing that today," Torres said.
After that January 6 joint session of Congress, President-Elect Joe Biden is expected to be inaugurated on January 20.