ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Republican state senator Randefine won a special election on behalf of Florida’s 6th Congressional District on Tuesday, beating Democratic challenger Josh Weill, crushing efforts by the National Democrats who spent millions of dollars in the race.
Fine was facing increasing pressure on the final days of the race as some Republicans publicly criticised his campaign and fundraising. His victory will end the Democrats who hope to win a major upset in districts that were highly supportive of President Donald Trump in November.
The race to fill the seats vacant by Mike Waltz when he was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser has attracted the attention of the public. Democrats have poured money into Weil’s campaign to try to flip seats where the president has won more than 30 points and pay a fine nearly ten times.
Fine, a self-proclaimed “conservative fire truck,” ran along with Trump’s support.
Fine’s struggle has attracted public attention from political operatives questioning whether the race would embarrass the Trump administration to Republicans for less than 100 days, as National Republican operatives worried they needed more money to fight Weil’s eye-opening compared to Fine’s $1 million.
But that wasn’t the case for the Democrats. For weeks, national leaders have attributed Weil’s successful fundraising to what they characterized as widespread outrage over the Trump administration’s federal overhaul. That rage stunted the Democrats’ hopes to break away from the enormous upset that was sustaining their party, failing to make it happen in enough numbers to certainly overturn the outcome of the Republican district.
Fine was first elected to the Florida home in 2016 and was held annually as a representative until 2024 when he successfully voted for the Florida Senate. He is known for his support for Israel and for his efforts to limit LGBTQ+ rights.
