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.

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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.

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