Two Republicans endorsed by President Donald Trump have won GOP primaries for House seats previously held by U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and former Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the White House via email on Tuesday night.
Why It Matters
Florida is holding special elections for the House seats on April 1. Tuesday's GOP primaries were especially important since both seats are in heavily Republican districts that most consider unlikely to be flipped by Democrats.
Waltz vacated his seat to take the national security adviser role on January 20, Trump's first day back in office. Gaetz resigned from Congress just after Trump nominated him as U.S. attorney general in November. He withdrew his nomination a week later amid concerns over his ability to win confirmation in the Senate.
What To Know
Florida State Senator Randy Fine and Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis easily won special GOP primaries on Tuesday night for the seats previously held by Waltz and Gaetz, respectively.
With 99 percent of the votes counted, Fine won his primary with 83 percent of the vote, while Patronis won his contest with 65.8 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Trump claimed victory by sharing to his Truth Social account images touting the election results and his endorsements. Both candidates are staunch Trump supporters and endorsed him in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries, which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also contested.
But Fine became an outspoken critic of DeSantis during his primary challenge, accusing the governor of not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Patronis did not endorse Trump until DeSantis withdrew from the race.
What People Are Saying
Fine, commenting on his win from a special legislative session on immigration in Tallahassee on Tuesday night: "This victory isn't mine. It is Donald Trump's. It is his first electoral win since Nov. 5. And Republicans overwhelmingly showed they remain committed to his agenda. And I can promise him — and every voter — no one will be more committed to his success than me. I'm ready to go."
Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida, in a post to X, formerly Twitter: "Congratulations to my friend and FL-01's next congressman @JimmyPatronis! I look forward to serving the people of Florida with you in Congress!"
What Happens Next
Both Republican candidates still need to win their elections in April to join Congress. Fine will be facing Josh Weil, who won the Democratic primary on Tuesday, and independent anti-abortion activist Randall Terry. Patronis will face off against Gay Valimont, a gun violence prevention activist who won an uncontested Democratic primary on Tuesday.
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About the writer
Aila Slisco
Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ...
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