Trump's #1 frenemy is only big Republican winner in the Midterms

Ron DeSantis has been re-elected as Governor of Florida but the predicted 'red wave' may just be a small ripple across the US.

The predicted 'red wave' may just be a small ripple across the US.

Ron DeSantis is now the person who may single-handedly thwart another Donald Trump presidency.

DeSantis was convincingly re-elected as Governor of Florida in the US Midterm elections on Wednesday (AEDST), with the result becoming clear just hours after the polls closed.

“We have rewritten the political map,” he said. “Thank you for honouring us with a win for the ages.”

DeSantis’s romped it home against his Democrat opponent Charlie Crist by 59.5% to 39.9% with 89% of the expected vote reporting.

The Wall Street Journal reported this victory will likely "fuel speculation about a potential run for president in 2024 and stoke a growing rivalry with former President Donald Trump."

"Events seem to be conspiring once again to offer the Republican Party a reasonable excuse to abandon Donald Trump, if they want to," New York Magazine White House correspondent Olivia Nuzzi said.

Former Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey expected Trump to now double down on the attacks on DeSantis.

"There's nothing complicated about his character. Take him at face value. All of sudden he's having a go at Ron De Santis because he sees him as a threat," Hockey said.

READ MORE: Trump's return and other Midterm races to watch with popcorn

Abortion laws

The lightning rod issue of this election is abortion in the months after Roe v Wade was overturned.  

Republicans, especially the Trump-aligned MAGA ones, said during the campaign they would introduce laws banning abortion outright if they won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Commentators suggest abortion was a stop gap issue that saved the Democrats from the predicted "red wave" as many Americans grapple with inflation that's reaching 40-years highs and rising crime rates. Abortion as a topic potentially sandbagged some states from incumbent and aspiring lawmakers who campaigned hard on policies like outlawing abortion even for rape and incest victims.

Early results as last polls close

The Republicans have won Florida, what was once a Democratic stronghold and is now a wave of red.

DIVE DEEPER: Your complete guide to the Midterm election drama

Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance - who was endorsed by Trump, won Ohio. 

However, in Georgia, the incumbent Governor Brian Kemp has won the gubernatorial rematch - the race to be governor - against high-profile candidate Stacey Abrams.

Trump opposes Kemp, as he was the guy who was recorded on a phone call telling the former President "no" when he was asked to "find votes" during the 2020 general election.

On Wednesday, Kemp won the public vote convincingly.