Incumbent Democratic Governor Reubin Askew won re-election to a second term.

This was also the first time a candidate got over one million votes in a Florida governor election.

Incumbent Reubin O'Donovan Askew faced little opposition in the Democratic Party primary.

Despite a challenge from his own Lieutenant Governor Thomas Burton Adams, Jr., Askew, a popular member of the "New Southerner" political generation, was renominated easily.

Williams, as he ran on the joint ticket, replaced Adams as Lieutenant Governor.