Former U.S. President Barack Obama (C) campaigns for Democrats, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (R) and and Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum in Miami, Florida, U.S. November 2, 2018. Joe Skipper | Reuters

Even for a state that has previously decided presidential elections, Florida has drawn considerable attention and cash in this year's midterm elections. Eyes will turn to the Sunshine State early on Tuesday, when polls across Florida will close before voting ends in several other pivotal states. The outcome of races there may offer some clues about how the fight for control of Congress will play out across the country. The governor's race in Florida, the third most populous U.S. state, has sparked national media attention, as it pits an unabashed progressive against a conservative who supports President Donald Trump's agenda. But the intrigue extends well beyond the contest between Democrat Andrew Gillum and Republican Ron DeSantis.

The Florida Senate race, between incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Gov. Rick Scott, will not only play a major role in which party controls the Senate, but also will end as easily the most expensive contest of the midterms. In addition, at least six Florida House races are considered competitive, and some of the GOP-held districts that Democrats will try to flip in the state are similar to other suburban battleground areas around the country. Read more: Democrats Nelson and Gillum lead in final NBC/Marist poll "Florida tends to be reflective of the country in the sense that Florida is largely a collection of people from around the country. The results you see here look a lot like what you in the areas where people come from," said Steven Schale, a strategist who led President Barack Obama's winning campaign to win Florida in 2008, and advised on his 2012 re-election bid in the state. Of course, Florida cannot predict large parts of the national political environment. Local issues, the appeal of specific candidates and numerous other factors on the ground will determine the outcome of races across the country. Still, Florida can provide some early clues in what is expected to be a night filled with drama and close contests. It can also offer a view into how some states that the president won narrowly in 2016 will react to him at the ballot box two years later.

The Florida races to watch