1 day Ago By William Vaillancourt
Republican state Sen. Randy Fine is projected to win the race for Florida’s open congressional seat, a victory that gives Republicans—including President Donald Trump, who loudly endorsed Fine—reason to breathe a sigh of relief. The seat in question opened up when Trump’s new White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was elevated to the position earlier this year.
The campaign, between Fine and Democratic public school teacher Josh Weil, had caused a bit of alarm in Republican circles in part due to Weil’s considerable fundraising advantage. The Democrat announced last month his campaign had brought in $9 million, compared to Fine’s total of just under $1 million. Another point of concern that led to no small amount of GOP sweat was a Republican poll that showed Weil trailing Fine by just three points.
In 2024, Waltz beat his Democratic challenger handily, 67 to 33 percent. At that time, however, he was on the ballot alongside Donald Trump. With 83 percent of votes counted as of publication, Fine leads Weil, 54 percent to 45, according to the Associated Press.
In the final days of the campaign the race was seen as a national bellweather, with Trump holding a virtual town hall for Fine. And on the Democratic side, DNC Chair Ken Martin campaigned in the district. Among the sixth congressional district’s active registered voters, about 49 percent are Republicans and 26 percent Democrats.
The area, which sits to the north of Orlando, hasn’t been represented by a Democrat since the late 1980s. Florida’s other special congressional election on Tuesday was to replace former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who resigned his seat in the first district upon being named Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general last November.
Gaetz ultimately withdrew his nomination amid considerable attention on previous allegations that he had sex with a minor and used illegal drugs—claims which he has denied. Gaetz now hosts a show on the right-wing cable channel One America News Network..
