In a primary day surprise in the Florida Republican gubernatorial contest, political newcomer Rick Scott defeated state Attorney General Bill McCollum.

Scott led McCollum 47 percent to 43 percent, with 92 percent of precincts reporting.

Recent polls had suggested McCollum was pulling ahead in the race—but low turnout on Tuesday gave outsized importance to Scott’s efforts to pull in support through early voting and absentee ballots.

The mood was downbeat at the McCollum campaign as the results started coming in, insiders said earlier in the evening.

Garnering almost 80 percent of the vote over token opposition, Alex Sink—the state’s chief financial officer—easily won the Democratic nomination Tuesday.

Over the past year, McCollum attracted national attention by leading a multi-state lawsuit against the health care overhaul and proposing tough, new immigration policies.

But Scott, who was active last year opposing the health care legislation in Washington, poured more than $30 million of his own money into the gubernatorial bid. The 57-year-old Scott presented himself as a “conservative outsider” who will run state government like an efficient business, cutting costs and services to balance the budget. He, like McCollum, proposed cutting corporate taxes, easing regulations, and taking other steps to make operating a business in Florida more attractive.

(Thanks to FOX News and Wikipedia)