McCollum Loses Fla. Primary

Political newcomer Rick Scott has scored a narrow win in the Florida Republican gubernatorial primary over state attorney general Bill McCollum (pictured), who in 2008 hired a now-disgraced ex-gay advocate as an expert witness in a gay adoption trial.

The Associated Press reported former health care executive Scott's win around 11 p.m. Eastern time. With 93% of precincts reporting, Scott had 47% of the vote, compared to 43% for McCollum.

McCollum faced intense scrutiny by both media outlets and his gubernatorial primary opponent for hiring George Rekers, a former board member of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, in a 2008 case defending the state's ban on adoption for same-sex couples.

Rekers resigned from his position with NARTH after the Miami New Times reported in May that he had hired a 20-year-old male escort on a European trip.

In the state's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Rep. Kendrick Meek has defeated billionaire Jeff Greene, CNN has projected.

Meek will face Marco Rubio -- projected to win the Republican primary -- and Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican-turned-independent, in the general election.