A pair of Trump-endorsed Republicans easily won a pair of special House primaries Tuesday in Florida, setting them up to fill two vacant, deep-red seats and pad the party's slim House majority.
The Associated Press projected the primary in Florida's 6th District for state Sen. Randy Fine shortly after polls closed in the district at 7 p.m. ET, with Fine taking more than 80% of the GOP primary vote.
State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis had more than two-thirds support in the GOP primary in the 1st District when the AP called his race soon after 8 p.m. ET; he easily outpaced a crowded field of candidates.
Fine and Patronis notched endorsements not only from President Donald Trump but also from House Republican leaders as they sought to succeed former Reps. Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz.
Waltz resigned from the House this month to become Trump's national security adviser, while Gaetz resigned last year after Trump picked him to be attorney general. But Gaetz dropped out of the running amid allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use.
Later, the House Ethics Committee said in a report that it had “determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.” Gaetz denied the allegations
Fine and Patronis will be heavy favorites against the Democratic nominees in the special general elections after both districts went Republican by 30-plus points last year.
But House Republicans will still have the April 1 special elections circled on their calendars, as adding members would give them a bit more breathing room in a tightly divided chamber.
After Waltz and Gaetz resigned, the GOP has a 218-215 edge in the House — meaning only two defections could sink a bill with every member voting.
