Trump-supported "Randy Fine" wins Congressional seat in heated Florida special election
National Republicans were anxious about the competition with progressive candidate Josh Weil, as polling showed tight races and substantial fundraising efforts from the Democratic side.
TroibNews 
MIAMI — The Republican Party's all-hands-on-deck approach in a closely contested Florida special election has successfully brought state Sen. Randy Fine into the House as of Tuesday, a win that marginally expands the support President Donald Trump can leverage to advance his legislative agenda in Congress.
Fine, who received Trump's endorsement, triumphed in the special election against Democrat Josh Weil, a progressive teacher. This occurred despite anxiety among national party operatives and polling that suggested a tighter race. Renowned for his tough demeanor and nicknamed the “Hebrew Hammer,” Fine will further energize Florida’s congressional delegation.
The seat in Florida's 6th District became available when former Rep. Mike Waltz transitioned to the Trump administration as national security adviser. Interest in the election intensified recently, partly due to Waltz being embroiled in a political controversy after mistakenly including The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief in a private chat about military strategies in Yemen.
Concerns for Fine began to surface two weeks prior to the election when Federal Election Commission reports revealed that Weil had outfundraised Fine significantly—$10 million compared to under $1 million. Additionally, an internal poll from Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio indicated Weil leading Fine by 3 percentage points just weeks ahead of the election.
These alarming developments prompted a surge in GOP support, as the White House aimed to retain the seat and prevent Democrats from tightening the race, which could be positioned as evidence of voter discontent with Trump's administration so early in his second term.
In the campaign's final days, Fine received notable backing from conservative commentators, Trump himself, and a political committee linked to Elon Musk. Trump held a tele-town hall with voters, encouraging the district to support Fine. GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, the Trump-endorsed candidate for governor in 2026, also participated in a phone event to rally support for Fine.
Low voter turnout is typical for special elections, often due to a lack of awareness. The seat has consistently leaned Republican, backing Trump by 30 points in the previous November election, which may have led GOP voters to underestimate the race.
Weil's campaign garnered significant funding by tapping into small-dollar donations from outside the state, primarily through social media advertisements that encouraged voters to back him in order to mitigate Trump’s influence by reducing the GOP's House majority.
Fine has been at odds with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for over a year, notably shifting his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump during the 2024 GOP primary and establishing a precedent for other Republicans to follow suit. Their relationship soured further as Fine continued to oppose the governor.
During a press conference near Fine's hometown last week, DeSantis attributed the unexpectedly close predictions to Fine and dismissed the notion that the election was a referendum on Trump. He stated that the forecasts reflected “the specific candidate running in that race,” although he anticipated Fine would emerge victorious.
In his legislative career, Fine has sponsored several high-profile measures, including the campaign to abolish Walt Disney World’s special tax district and efforts to prohibit critical race theory in public education. He also drafted a bill that DeSantis signed in February, which ended in-state tuition for undocumented students brought to the U.S. as children.
Ahead of the election, Fine expressed to PMG his eagerness to focus on “President Trump's agenda and making sure Speaker Johnson and President Trump have another soldier on the battlefield to get done what they need to get done.”
“I do think that my style will work well in Washington,” he stated. “I mean, I'm an aggressive guy. … I made it my goal to just put my head down and do a good job and do what I thought was right, to say what I think, and not worry about it. And I think that worked.”
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Fine, who received Trump's endorsement, triumphed in the special election against Democrat Josh Weil, a progressive teacher. This occurred despite anxiety among national party operatives and polling that suggested a tighter race. Renowned for his tough demeanor and nicknamed the “Hebrew Hammer,” Fine will further energize Florida’s congressional delegation.
The seat in Florida's 6th District became available when former Rep. Mike Waltz transitioned to the Trump administration as national security adviser. Interest in the election intensified recently, partly due to Waltz being embroiled in a political controversy after mistakenly including The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief in a private chat about military strategies in Yemen.
Concerns for Fine began to surface two weeks prior to the election when Federal Election Commission reports revealed that Weil had outfundraised Fine significantly—$10 million compared to under $1 million. Additionally, an internal poll from Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio indicated Weil leading Fine by 3 percentage points just weeks ahead of the election.
These alarming developments prompted a surge in GOP support, as the White House aimed to retain the seat and prevent Democrats from tightening the race, which could be positioned as evidence of voter discontent with Trump's administration so early in his second term.
In the campaign's final days, Fine received notable backing from conservative commentators, Trump himself, and a political committee linked to Elon Musk. Trump held a tele-town hall with voters, encouraging the district to support Fine. GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, the Trump-endorsed candidate for governor in 2026, also participated in a phone event to rally support for Fine.
Low voter turnout is typical for special elections, often due to a lack of awareness. The seat has consistently leaned Republican, backing Trump by 30 points in the previous November election, which may have led GOP voters to underestimate the race.
Weil's campaign garnered significant funding by tapping into small-dollar donations from outside the state, primarily through social media advertisements that encouraged voters to back him in order to mitigate Trump’s influence by reducing the GOP's House majority.
Fine has been at odds with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for over a year, notably shifting his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump during the 2024 GOP primary and establishing a precedent for other Republicans to follow suit. Their relationship soured further as Fine continued to oppose the governor.
During a press conference near Fine's hometown last week, DeSantis attributed the unexpectedly close predictions to Fine and dismissed the notion that the election was a referendum on Trump. He stated that the forecasts reflected “the specific candidate running in that race,” although he anticipated Fine would emerge victorious.
In his legislative career, Fine has sponsored several high-profile measures, including the campaign to abolish Walt Disney World’s special tax district and efforts to prohibit critical race theory in public education. He also drafted a bill that DeSantis signed in February, which ended in-state tuition for undocumented students brought to the U.S. as children.
Ahead of the election, Fine expressed to PMG his eagerness to focus on “President Trump's agenda and making sure Speaker Johnson and President Trump have another soldier on the battlefield to get done what they need to get done.”
“I do think that my style will work well in Washington,” he stated. “I mean, I'm an aggressive guy. … I made it my goal to just put my head down and do a good job and do what I thought was right, to say what I think, and not worry about it. And I think that worked.”
James del Carmen for TROIB News
