Politics

JUST IN: Trump-Backed Candidate Cruises To Victory In Florida Special Election

Published

4 days ago

April 1, 2025

Florida State Senator Randy Fine has emerged victorious in the special election for Florida’s 6th Congressional District, replacing current National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Fine managed to fend off what was seen as a formidable challenge from Democrat opponent Josh Weil, who enjoyed an early voting edge just last week. Significant support for Fine poured in over the following days, however, pushing the margin of ballots returned by party affiliation above double digits by Election Day.

The Florida lawmaker also managed to gain ground in the fundraising department after Democrats poured millions into the race, which has widely been viewed as a gauge for Democrat enthusiasm ahead of the midterm elections in 2026. With the last-minute surge in support, Fine was declared the winner just moments after polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

“RANDY FINE WINS!!!” President Trump posted on Truth Social just moments after the race was called by the New York Times decision desk.

Fine’s race is one of two special elections taking place in Florida on Tuesday, the other being in the state’s 1st Congressional District. Republican candidate Jimmy Patronis is expected to cruise to victory in the district that was formerly represented by Matt Gaetz, who resigned from the House after he was selected to be Trump’s initial nominee for attorney general.

Both races are taking place in solid Republican districts, though Fine had raised concerns among state and national GOP leaders due to fundraising issues and early warning signs in regards to turnout.

With both races in the bag, House Republicans will no longer be worried about losing control of the House before the midterm elections. Trump recently asked Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who had been nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to stay in the House rather than face a risky special election.

All eyes will also be on Wisconsin, as liberal judge Susan Crawford is running against former attorney general Brad Schimel in a race that will decide the balance of the state’s Supreme Court. While polls and early voting numbers had Crawford comfortably ahead as of last week, recent surveys from Trafalgar and Atlas Intel, the latter of whom has the distinction of being the most accurate pollster for the 2024 election, have the race as a toss-up.

Crawford has openly supported the idea of re-drawing Wisconsin’s congressional maps to axe two Republican-controlled districts ahead of the midterm elections. The race is also expected to have massive implications on the Badger State’s election laws.