Trump-Endorsed Fine Wins Florida Special Election, Narrowly Securing GOP Seat

In a closely watched special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, Republican state Sen. Randy Fine, backed by President Donald Trump, emerged victorious on Tuesday night, Fox News reports.

Fine will fill the seat vacated by former Congressman Mike Waltz, who now serves as President Trump’s National Security Advisor.

Fine defeated Democrat Josh Weil, a public school employee and political newcomer, despite Weil having amassed a significantly larger campaign war chest, raising nearly $10 million compared to Fine’s under $1 million.

Florida’s 6th Congressional District, stretching along the Atlantic coast from Daytona Beach to just south of Saint Augustine and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, has historically been a Republican stronghold. Former Congressman Waltz comfortably won the district in 2024, and President Trump carried it by a substantial 30-point margin in the same year.

However, Tuesday’s race proved to be unusually tight, marking the closest election for the district since 2018, when Waltz defeated his Democratic opponent by 13 points. In subsequent elections, Waltz consistently garnered at least 60% of the vote.

The close margin of victory for Fine has been widely interpreted as a referendum on President Trump’s initial months in office, raising concerns about the shifting political landscape. Fears were prevalent that a Republican loss in this, or another concurrent special election in Florida, could seriously jeopardize the party’s already slim majority in the House of Representatives. This concern reportedly led to the withdrawal of GOP New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations.

While Weil’s campaign proved financially robust, outside Republican-aligned groups poured approximately $1 million into advertising in the final week leading up to the election, aiming to bolster Fine’s chances.

Fine’s victory provides a crucial win for the Republican Party, effectively expanding their precarious five-vote majority in the House by one seat.

Following the announcement of the results, President Trump took to social media to congratulate Fine. In turn, Fine expressed his gratitude to the President for his crucial endorsement and support.