Trump-backed Republicans will win special primaries in elections to fill House seats in Florida
By Matt Holt, CNN
(CNN) — Two Republicans endorsed by President Donald Trump will win their special primaries Tuesday, moving one step closer to bringing Speaker Mike Johnson a little breathing room for the GOP’s narrow majority in the House.
State Sen. Randy Fine will win the GOP special primary in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, and Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will win the GOP primary in the state’s 1st District, according to the Associated Press.
Both districts are heavily Republican, and Fine and Patronis are expected to cruise to victory in the general elections on April 1.
Fine, a former gambling executive who was elected to the state Senate in 2024, previously served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives. He was endorsed by Trump in November, which made him a heavy favorite to win the primary.
The seat, anchored by Daytona Beach, was vacant after Trump tapped Rep. Mike Waltz to serve as his national security adviser. Waltz, who had held the seat since 2019, beat his Democratic opponent in November by more than 30 percentage points, and Fine is expected to easily win the special general election, which is set for April 1.
Fine has been a controversial figure in the state Legislature. He proposed a bill to ban drag performances where children might be in attendance, which Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law. He also supported the Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents, which restricts discussion of certain LGBTQ topics in the classroom. After the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, Fine called for the expulsion of all “non-Americans” who advocated for “Muslim terror” and posted on X that America has a “Muslim problem.” He was also the author of a bill that eliminated Walt Disney World’s special governing district after former Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Fine will face Democrat Josh Weil, a teacher, in the general election to fill the seat vacated by Waltz.
In the race to fill former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s seat in the northwestern 1st District, Patronis, who was endorsed by Trump in November, defeated a crowded field, including Aaron Dimmock, a Navy veteran who ran against Gaetz in the 2024 GOP primary. Patronis is now on the fast track to replace Gaetz, who represented the district for four terms.
Gaetz, who won reelection last year, vacated his seat when Trump tapped him for US attorney general in November. Eight days later, Gaetz withdrew his nomination just before the release of a House Ethics Committee report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use. Before the report was released, Gaetz posted on social media that it’s “embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”
Patronis, 52, has deep roots in Florida politics. He has served on the Florida Elections Commission, the Florida Public Service Commission, and served four terms in the state House. The 1st District, situated in the Florida Panhandle, is overwhelmingly Republican.
Due to Florida’s resign-to-run law, Patronis submitted his resignation last month, saying he will leave office effective March 31. He will face Democrat Gay Valimont, the 2024 Democratic nominee, in the special general election.
With Republicans holding on to a narrow 218-215 House majority, the arrival of Fine and Patronis would bring the GOP’s majority back to 220 seats. The GOP is expecting one more resignation, from New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was nominated to serve as UN ambassador.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
The-CNN-Wire
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