Florida Republicans alongside President Donald Trump were handed another critical election win on Tuesday as Jimmy Patronis won the House race for Florida’s 1st Congressional District.
Patronis’ victory came shortly after Republican state senator Randy Fine won another special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, beating Democrat Josh Weil.
Why It Matters
These are the first major elections since President Trump was inaugurated in January. Trump backed both Republican candidates running in the Sunshine State and their victories help cement Republican control of the House of Representatives.
What To Know
The Associated Press projected Patronis’ victory at 8:20 p.m. ET. As of 8:28 p.m. ET Patronis had nearly 85,000 votes, the AP reported.
The 1st Congressional District is a longtime Republican stronghold, having an over 30-point advantage. It is located in the Florida Panhandle and encompasses the city of Pensacola.
The district was previously held by Republican Matt Gaetz, a staunch Trump supporter, who was nominated by Trump to be his attorney general but later backed out amid bipartisan backlash over sexual misconduct allegations.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated with additional information.