In recent special elections in Florida, Republican candidates secured victories in two Congressional districts, thereby aiding the GOP in maintaining its slim majority in the U.S. House. In the First Congressional District situated in Florida’s panhandle, Jimmy Patronis, the former chief financial officer of the state, prevailed over Democrat Gay Valimont. Meanwhile, in the Sixth District along the state’s eastern coast, Randy Fine, a former state senator, defeated Democrat Josh Weil.
Although Republicans possess a considerable registration advantage in both districts, the victory margins in these elections were significantly closer than those recorded in November, possibly indicating voter dissatisfaction with Republicans, former President Trump, and his policies.
In the Pensacola area, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz had defeated Valimont by a 32-point margin in the previous November election. However, following Gaetz’s nomination by Trump for the position of Attorney General, he withdrew and vacated his Congressional seat. Jimmy Patronis, despite being substantially outspent by Valimont who had drawn national Democratic support, secured victory by approximately 15 percentage points—a margin reduced by 17 points from Gaetz’s previous win.
In Florida’s central Sixth District, Fine defeated Weil by about 14 points. This result was narrower than Congressman Mike Waltz’s 33-point victory in November, before he vacated the seat to serve as Trump’s national security adviser. Despite Weil raising ten times the funds secured by Fine, the Republicans managed to maintain their hold on the district.
Despite their losses, Democrats are viewing the outcome as a noteworthy achievement. Nikki Fried, the chair of Florida’s Democratic party, characterized the results as indicative of voters beginning to reject Trump’s policies, citing a historic overperformance for Democrats as a warning sign to the Republican Party.
Both Republican candidates received endorsements from President Trump. Randy Fine acknowledged Trump’s support in a social media post celebrating the victory.
