Florida special election results: Republicans win deep-red House seats, padding majority
The Republican candidates prevailed in a pair of special congressional elections in Florida on Tuesday, NBC News projects, giving Republicans some more breathing room as they navigate a narrow House majority.
The Republican candidates prevailed in a pair of special congressional elections in Florida on Tuesday, NBC News projects, giving Republicans some more breathing room as they navigate a narrow House majority.
NBC News projects that Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has won the race in the 1st District to replace GOP former Rep. Matt Gaetz, while Republican state Sen. Randy Fine won the 6th District race to replace GOP former Rep. Michael Waltz, who is now President Donald Trump’s national security adviser.
Fine was leading Democrat Josh Weil 54%-46% when the NBC News Decision Desk called the race with 73% of the expected vote in. In three counties where nearly all of the expected vote is in, Fine was faring around 10 points worse than Waltz in November.
Patronis defeated Democrat Gay Valimont, a former activist with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, who lost to Gaetz in November.
The 6th District race gave some Republicans heartburn, with Weil vastly outraising Fine and Fine slow to launch TV ads. Trump carried the district, which includes Daytona Beach, by 30 points in November, but outside Republican groups hit the airwaves in the final days as the race appeared to be competitive.
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