St. Johns County voters chose slow-growth candidates in both County Commission races Tuesday, Aug. 18, handing defeats to the two Republicans endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Martin Pyszczymuka won the District 2 seat covering Fruit Cove, and incumbent Krista Keating-Joseph held her District 4 seat representing Julington Creek and Durbin Crossing, according to the St. Augustine Record, citing unofficial results from the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections.

Both races were universal primaries open to all registered voters. Because no candidate from another party qualified for November, the winners take office without a general election.

Governor's endorsements failed to sway voters in either race

DeSantis backed Heather Brofford in District 2 and Sam Williams, a retired law enforcement officer, in District 4. Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Bill Helmich confirmed Aug. 14 that DeSantis had recorded audio endorsements distributed via text messages and robocalls beginning Aug. 13.

"Legitimate endorsements," Helmich told the St. Johns Citizen on Aug. 14. "The governor did record those endorsements for them."

Neither endorsement appeared on the governor's website or social media accounts. Helmich said DeSantis's endorsements are rarely posted on his own pages and are typically distributed directly by candidates.

It wasn't enough.

District 2: Pyszczymuka wins open seat left by Arnold

Pyszczymuka defeated Brofford, Tim Burres and Wilson McMullan for the seat held by outgoing Commissioner Sarah Arnold, who did not seek reelection. Action News Jax described Pyszczymuka as allied with Keating-Joseph against the more "establishment" wing of the local Republican Party.

District 4: Keating-Joseph fends off two challengers to keep her seat

Keating-Joseph turned back challenges from Williams and James Austin Galloway to retain her seat on the five-member board representing the fast-growing District 4 corridor.

Development and growth policy drove both campaigns

The campaigns were shaped by disputes over development ties, campaign financing and who could best manage the county's rapid population growth, according to the St. Johns Citizen. The outlet characterized both winners as candidates who "ran forcefully against what they described as runaway development."

The new board will immediately face pressure on growth policy. The county is weighing 6,558 acres of fast-track housing applications under the state's agricultural enclave law, and the fiscal year 2027 budget cycle is already underway after constitutional officers presented tentative budgets in June.

Democrats outpaced Republicans in early voting turnout

Early voting drew 31,957 ballots, about 13% of the county's nearly 240,000 registered voters, according to Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes. Democrats voted early at a 20.7% rate compared with 14.4% for Republicans, a notable gap in a county where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 3-to-1, as the St. Johns Citizen reported.

The Board of County Commissioners is expected to meet next in early September, based on its regular two-week cycle. A Land Conservation General Obligation Bond question headed for the Nov. 3 general election ballot will be among the first major items the reconstituted board addresses.