US news: Republican Jimmy Patronis wins Florida’s 1st Congressional district special election

Republican Jimmy Patronis secured victory in a special election on Tuesday for Florida’s 1st Congressional District, backed by an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

As reported by AP, despite notable financial support from national Democrats, Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, successfully defeated Democrat Gay Valimont, who had outspent him considerably.

Patronis will take over the northwest Florida seat previously held by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who stepped down after being nominated for Trump’s attorney general but withdrew amid denied allegations of sexual misconduct.

Valimont gained significant support from national donors driven by concerns over the early months of Trump’s second term, but she fell short of achieving what would have been a major upset in a district that both Trump and Gaetz had won by over 30 points last year.

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The atmosphere was festive at a waterfront restaurant in Pensacola, where Patronis received congratulatory text messages as early results rolled in on Tuesday night. Surrounded by around 100 supporters, he greeted the crowd with handshakes and hugs, accompanied by his wife, Katie, and their two sons.

In Florida’s 6th Congressional District, Republican State Senator Randy Fine secured victory over Democratic challenger Josh Weil.

Early returns suggest that Fine’s win is expected to be much narrower than the 33-point margin by which Mike Waltz claimed the district in November.

This tightening gap could indicate a shift in public sentiment, fueled by heightened Democratic enthusiasm in a district traditionally dominated by Republicans. The change comes less than five months after the presidential election and amidst a significant fundraising boost from Democrats concerned about Trump’s aggressive efforts to reshape the government in his first few months in office.

Fine had faced growing pressure during the race’s final days as some Republicans publicly criticized his campaign and fundraising efforts. His victory ends Democratic hopes to score a huge upset in a district that was heavily supportive of Trump in November.

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The race to fill the seat vacated by Waltz when he was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser received national attention. Democrats poured money into Weil’s campaign to outraise Fine by nearly tenfold, attempting to flip a seat where the president won by more than 30 points.

Fine, a self-described “conservative firebrand,” ran with Trump’s endorsement.

On social media, Trump congratulated Fine for “a great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE.”

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National Republican operatives worried in the weeks leading up to the election that Fine needed more money to combat Weil’s eye-popping $9 million compared to Fine’s $1 million, which drew national attention from political operatives questioning whether this race would embarrass Republicans less than 100 days into Trump’s administration, AP reported.

Fine was first elected to the Florida House in 2016 and ran each year as a representative until 2024 when he successfully won his election to the Florida Senate. He is known for his support of Israel and his efforts to restrict LGBTQ rights.