GOP Sweeps Florida Special Elections, But Get Mixed Results in Wisconsin [WATCH]

Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Republican Chief Financial Officer, secured a decisive victory in the special election for the open House seat in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, shortly after polls closed on Tuesday.

The district, which spans the westernmost portion of the Florida panhandle, has long been considered a stronghold for Republicans.

Patronis’ victory was widely anticipated, given the district’s R+19 rating on the Cook Partisan Voting Index, and the fact that it was previously represented by Matt Gaetz before he resigned to become President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General.

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In the race, Patronis faced off against Democratic challenger Gay Valimont, a gun control activist who struggled to mount a serious challenge in a district that has been solidly red for years.

While Valimont’s chances of flipping the seat were slim, the results are still seen as a bellwether for party enthusiasm, as Democrats will closely scrutinize the election margins to gauge their potential strength heading into the 2026 midterms.

Patronis’ victory was strongly supported by President Donald Trump, who endorsed him early in the campaign.

In a post on X, Trump congratulated Patronis on his efforts, praising his work as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshall.

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“Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshall for the Great State of Florida, is running an incredible Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District! A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA,” Trump wrote.

Trump also highlighted Patronis’ positions on key issues, including economic growth, tax cuts, border security, military support, American energy dominance, and Second Amendment rights.

“As your next Congressman, Jimmy will fight hard alongside of me to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Brave Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump added in his endorsement.

Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshall for the Great State of Florida, is running an incredible Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District! A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant,…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2025

Patronis’ win in Florida’s 1st Congressional District was one of two special elections being held in the state on Tuesday.

Florida State Senator Randy Fine wass also running to fill the seat vacated by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.

Despite early voting numbers lagging significantly last week, a surge in Republican turnout in recent days has pushed Fine’s lead above double digits.

Similar to Patronis, Fine was declared the winner soon after polls closed on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the highly anticipated Supreme Court race between liberal candidate Susan Crawford and Trump-backed Brad Schimel has become a major point of focus.

Originally expected to be a clear victory for Crawford, the race tightened significantly due to strong grassroots support for Schimel, turning it into a toss-up.

Crawford’s support for re-drawing Wisconsin’s congressional maps to eliminate two Republican-controlled districts made the race even more contentious, with significant implications for the state’s election laws ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Despite the race tightening in the days before the election, Crawford was declared the winner.

Despite Republicans losing the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, they did get a big election integrity win as voters chose to enshrine Voter ID into the state’s constitution.

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