State Rep. Kim Kendall won her Republican primary for Florida House District 18 by a 74-point margin Aug. 18, collecting nearly 24,000 votes to challenger Diana Jordan-Baldwin's roughly 3,500.
The 87%-13% result cemented Kendall's hold on a district that covers much of northern St. Johns County, including portions of St. Augustine and the fast-growing communities along County Road 210, World Golf Village and northwest St. Johns. Kendall, a former air traffic controller and small-business owner first elected in 2024, now advances to the Nov. 3 general election.
The lopsided outcome came two days after President Donald Trump posted an endorsement on Truth Social, according to the St. Johns Citizen, calling Kendall "a Strong Champion for the Great People of Florida's 18th State House District."
"Kendall has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" Trump wrote Aug. 16.
Kendall also carried endorsements from St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick and local business and community leaders, according to the St. Johns Citizen.
Jordan-Baldwin, a retired Army logistics officer with more than two decades of military service, ran as a Republican but faced questions about her previous Democratic party registration. Kendall accused her opponent of being a Democrat at heart; Jordan-Baldwin said her values now align with the Republican Party.
Kendall's First Term: Land Protection and Aerospace Bills
During her first term in Tallahassee, Kendall sponsored children's safety and aerospace innovation bills. She also sponsored a land management bill that blocked 600 acres of planned development at the Guana River Wildlife Management Area in northeast St. Johns County.
Her 2026 campaign platform centered on infrastructure to support population growth, expanding technical education and teacher pay, and conservative social positions including opposing abortion.
What's Next: A November Matchup Still Taking Shape
Kendall will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November. Available sources list public defender Art Stresing and Heather Anne Smith as the Democratic candidates, but the winner of that contest has not been confirmed. Kendall won the same seat in 2024 with 70% of the general-election vote.
CBS News confirmed that all 16 Florida House Republican incumbents who faced primary challengers survived Tuesday's elections statewide.
As we reported Wednesday, Aug. 19, growth and development dominated St. Johns County's primary races. Kendall's Guana River bill and her infrastructure platform echo those same concerns at the state level. The general election is Nov. 3.
