Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Republican Candidates Overcome Huge Fundraising Deficits to Win Congressional Races
Life News ^ | April 2, 2025 | Steven Ertelt

Posted on 04/02/2025 12:07:47 PM PDT by Morgana

Republicans Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis secured victories in two special congressional elections in Florida on Tuesday, overcoming significant fundraising disadvantages to maintain GOP control of seats vacated by prominent party members.

The wins bolster the Republican Party’s slim majority in the U.S. House, despite a strong financial push from Democratic opponents.

Fine, a former state senator, won Florida’s 6th Congressional District, defeating Democrat Josh Weil, an Orlando school teacher who outraised Fine by more than $9 million between January and March, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

In the 1st Congressional District, Patronis, Florida’s outgoing chief financial officer, bested Democrat Gay Valimont, who raised nearly $6.4 million to Patronis’ $2.1 million during the same period.

Both districts, reliably Republican strongholds, were thrust into special elections after Rep. Mike Waltz resigned to become President Donald Trump’s national security adviser and Rep. Matt Gaetz stepped down following a short-lived nomination for attorney general. Trump’s endorsement proved pivotal, with both candidates crediting his support for their success.

“Let it be known that this election is a reminder the Florida Panhandle will forever be red, and it’ll forever be Trump country,” Patronis told supporters at a waterfront restaurant in Pensacola, where early results sparked celebrations Tuesday night.

“Even their $6 million could not overcome one simple post on social media by Donald Trump.”

Fine’s race was a closer contest than expected.

Waltz had won the 6th District by 33 points in November, but Fine’s margin was significantly narrower, reflecting Weil’s aggressive campaign. Fine, who lagged in fundraising and television ads, received a late boost from outside GOP spending.

“Randy Fine speaks in Tampa, Florida, in 2023,” noted a caption from earlier coverage, underscoring his visibility as a Trump-backed candidate. On X, Fine posted Tuesday night, “Because of you, Mr. President. I won’t let you down,” alongside a photo of his victory celebration in Ormond Beach.

Patronis faced a tougher-than-anticipated challenge in the Panhandle’s 1st District, where Gaetz had won by 32 points last year. Valimont, a gun violence prevention activist with Moms Demand Action, leveraged her fundraising edge to hammer Patronis for initially residing outside the district. Yet, Trump’s tele-town hall with Patronis in the campaign’s final days helped secure a victory margin of about 15 points, according to early returns.

The Associated Press called both races Tuesday night, with Fine’s victory announced at 7:30 p.m. EDT and Patronis’ at 8:20 p.m. EDT. The wins increase the GOP’s House seats to 220, leaving Democrats with 213, a critical buffer as Republicans navigate a narrow majority.

“THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, AS ALWAYS, PROVED FAR GREATER THAN THE DEMOCRATS FORCES OF EVIL,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late Tuesday, congratulating both candidates.

Fine and Patronis will serve the remainder of their predecessors’ terms, with regular elections set for 2026. For now, their victories reinforce Florida’s status as a Republican bastion, even as Democrats eye the midterms to test the GOP’s grip.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bloggers; education; fine; florida; patronis; prolife; republican

1 posted on 04/02/2025 12:07:47 PM PDT by Morgana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Morgana

The Wisconsin Supreme Court election is smelling more and more suspicious.

How many ballots had votes for Crawford but no votes for down-ballot candidates?


2 posted on 04/02/2025 12:14:02 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Stinky!


3 posted on 04/02/2025 12:42:45 PM PDT by existentially_kuffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

“The Wisconsin Supreme Court election is smelling more and more suspicious.”

Why do the Republicans never contest anything? We’ll never get any election fraud relief from the Supremes as long as Roberts is there. Did you know that Roberts was a guest of Norm Eisen in the Czech Republic and stayed in Eisen’s mansion?


4 posted on 04/02/2025 12:44:31 PM PDT by dljordan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: dljordan
Why do the Republicans never contest anything?

I think the RINOs are in on it.

5 posted on 04/02/2025 12:58:34 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Morgana
...bested Democrat Gay Valimont, who raised nearly $6.4 million to Patronis’ $2.1 million

...I ask again, where are demonrats getting all this money?

Don't give up Elon...even if you have to drill into the deepest, dirtiest subterranean level of this sewer.

6 posted on 04/02/2025 1:07:20 PM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Time to throw them out of the Temple...again)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

It isn’t fair that Gyorgy Soros didn’t give the GOP candidate a billion and a half too.


7 posted on 04/02/2025 2:26:27 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (If you're an average "middle American", white supremacist Sen. Chrissy Coons called you stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RckyRaCoCo

Elon is going back to work soon. His mission is done.


8 posted on 04/02/2025 3:07:54 PM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson