As voters choose nominees in two congressional districts in the state, state senator Randy Fine, who has been endorsed by Trump, handily won a special House primary in northwest Florida on Tuesday, positioning him to fill a deep-red, open seat.
Shortly after the district’s votes closed at 7 p.m. Eastern, the Associated Press predicted that Fine would win the GOP primary, with more than 80% of the vote counted.
The state lawmaker sought to replace former Representative Mike Waltz and received support from both House Republican leaders and President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Waltz left the House to serve as Trump’s national security adviser.
In the special general election, Fine will be the overwhelming favorite to defeat Democratic nominee Josh Weil. In 2024, Waltz won the seat by 33 points.
However, since adding more members will offer them a little more breathing room in a legislature that is sharply divided, House Republicans will continue to mark the April 1 special election to replace him on their calendars. Following the resignations of Waltz and former Representative Matt Gaetz, the GOP now holds a 218-215 majority in the House, meaning that a bill could be defeated by just two defections if every member votes.
In a separate special House primary on Tuesday, Trump also endorsed Jimmy Patronis, the state chief financial officer, to succeed Gaetz in the Florida Panhandle. At 8 p.m. Eastern time, the polls there close.
Gaetz has carried the district by more than 30 points in each of the last three elections, making that seat particularly Republican. After Trump appointed him attorney general, he resigned from the House last year, but he left the race due to charges of drug and sexual misbehavior.
Afterwards, the House Ethics Committee issued a report stating that “determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.” Gaetz refuted the accusations.