Gov. Ron DeSantis has stepped up his criticism of Randy Fine, Florida's newly elected congressman, following his narrow victory in a special election for the 6th district aimed at replacing former Rep. Mike Waltz.
DeSantis slammed Fine as a "squish," a term used to describe someone lacking strong conservative principles following his 14-point win, the closest margin for a Republican in the district since 2018.
The governor suggested that Fine's victory was only secured due to the late intervention of President Donald Trump, who rallied voters to support the candidate despite their dissatisfaction with him, as Fox News reports:
"The president really had to bail him out at the end because this race would have been much closer had the president sat on the sidelines. I think these were voters who didn't like Randy Fine but who basically were like, 'You know what? We're going to take one for the team"
Fine, on his end, pushed back, taking to social media to accuse DeSantis of focusing on personal politics rather than advancing the party's agenda. "A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion," said Fine on X while sharing a video with DeSantis' comments. "I'm focused on working with President Donald Trump to stop Democrats from taking this country backwards, not working with them. Let's go."
A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. I’m focused on working with @realDonaldTrump to stop Democrats from taking this country backwards, not working with them. Let’s go. https://t.co/zNoMxz91uu
— Congressman Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) April 2, 2025
DeSantis has had a tense relationship with Fine since 2023 as a result of Fine's public switch in support from DeSantis to Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential race, an endorsement that Fine defended in the wake of remarks from DeSantis on issues like antisemitism.
DeSantis' remarks also reflect his broader dissatisfaction within the Florida GOP, especially regarding legislative actions and his strained relations with House Speaker Daniel Perez. On Monday, the governor accused Florida's Republican legislature of failing to push a more aggressive conservative agenda, particularly in the areas of immigration enforcement and Second Amendment rights.
DeSantis also voiced concerns that the state's GOP supermajority is not effectively opposing Democrats, even as Fine's narrow win suggests fractures within the party:
"To have a GOP supermajority, it isn't worth the paper it's printed on, unless they act like a GOP supermajority. What I see so far out of the Florida House of Representatives, they're not trying to step on the left's throat. They are giving a lifeline to the Democratic Party"
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