Republican Randy Fine emerged triumphant Tuesday in a special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, The Associated Press projects, putting an end to speculation that the district could flip and hand Democrats a seat in Congress.
The race received national attention and millions from Democrat donors who sought to send a message about their party’s continued relevance with a victory in the ruby-red district between Jacksonville and Orlando.
President Donald Trump congratulated Fine for overcoming a major fundraising disparity to win the seat, writing on Truth Social, “a great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE.”
Republicans were also victorious, as expected, in a separate Florida special election to succeed Republican Matt Gaetz, who left the House to pursue a failed nomination for U.S. attorney general. In that race, held in the conservative Florida Panhandle’s westernmost district, Republican Jimmy Patronis defeated Democrat Gay Valimont.
The double victory allows Republicans to avoid a speed bump on their way to passing an ambitious budget package.
“BOTH FLORIDA HOUSE SEATS HAVE BEEN WON, BIG, BY THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, AS ALWAYS, PROVED FAR GREATER THAN THE DEMOCRATS FORCES OF EVIL. CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, who will run for governor of the Sunshine State in 2026, celebrated the results on X and thanked Floridians for sticking with the Republican Party.
“Thank you to the thousands of Floridians who showed-up for our nation during this Special Election. This is a huge win for America, saves our House Majority, & helps us to pass the Trump Agenda,” he said.
Falling on the same day as Wisconsin’s high-profile state Supreme Court election, the Florida elections received a high level of attention.
Democrats had hoped to flip two ruby-red districts to send a message of their continued relevance and to weaken Republican legislative power.
Despite the Democrat losses, Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin praised both Weil and Valimont for improving upon previous years in their matchups.
Martin said that Valimont’s race “proves that Democrats can compete in even. the deepest red districts” and that “Republicans should be nervous for November 2026.”
Martin even traveled to Florida to promote both of the party’s candidates and continuously framed both races as referendums on the Trump administration.
He described both Valimont and Josh Weil as “proven leaders who will fight for Social Security, veterans, and public schools—while keeping [President Donald] Trump and [Elon] Musk in check.”
Republicans, on the other hand, were keen to maintain their current margins in the House of Representatives, as they have their sights on passing a budget reconciliation bill, which requires only a simple majority in the House.
Trump had both Republicans’ backs as well, delivering enthusiastic endorsements on social media. He described Fine as an “America First Patriot” and Patronis as “a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA.”
Despite both Gaetz and Waltz winning two-thirds of the vote in both districts in November, both of their would-be Republican successors faced fierce opposition.
In the 6th Congressional District, for example, Democrats outraised Republicans nearly 10-to-1, raising around $10 million. In the 1st Congressional District, Valimont raised about $6.5 million against Patronis’ $2.1 million.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., expressed his joy on X as his home state stayed red.
“Tonight, we kept Florida RED – again,” he wrote. “Florida remains the epicenter of the Republican Party.”
“Republicans keep WINNING!” wrote GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., on X.
