In what was widely considered a referendum on President Donald Trump's first 10 weeks in office, Republican candidates won their special elections to the House of Representatives in his home state of Florida on Tuesday -- although not by the wide margins posted by their GOP predecessors.
In Florida Congressional Districts 1 and 6, where Trump and the previous seat-holders won by more than 30 points, Republicans Jimmy Patronis topped Democrat Gay Valimont by a 57%-42% margin and Randy Fine defeated Josh Weil 57%-42% respectively, as projected by CNN.
While Democrats are declaring a minor moral victory and a possible sign that some Trump voters could be experiencing buyers' remorse. Despite receiving Trump's endorsement, Fine's close call came after he faced opposition from within the GOP -- including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The House seats were vacated by Republicans who were tapped by Trump to serve in his administration. Mike Waltz resigned his seat in District 6 to serve as Trump's national security adviser, while Matt Gaetz stepped down from District 1 for an unsuccessful bid as Trump's attorney general pick.
Florida's special election coincided with another high-profile contest for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. Although technically a non-partisan election, the race between GOP-backed Brad Schimel and Democrat-supported Susan Crawford saw the bench's ideology hang in the balance.
Although the Florida elections drew less national attention, the outcomes have a major impact on the makeup of the House. Republicans maintain a slim 220-213 majority, and House Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump's agenda receive much-needed support while much of the country is questioning it.
