Introduction to the Special Elections
Democrats, with few electoral outlets for their outrage at President Donald Trump’s dramatic restructuring of the federal government, are pouring millions of dollars into two special elections in Florida. That’s where Democratic candidates are trying to accomplish the improbable by flipping a pair of Trump-friendly congressional seats and carving into Republicans’ narrow 218 to 213 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Challenge Ahead
While Democratic leaders aren’t predicting outright wins in such Republican-leaning districts, they say they think they’ll exceed expectations. And they sound especially hopeful about the 6th Congressional District, where a public school teacher has out raised a Trump-endorsed state senator by a nearly 10-to-1 margin in the race to replace Mike Waltz, who was tapped by Trump to be a national security adviser in what was widely seen as a move without much political risk.
The Money Factor
Democrats’ challenge in both districts is formidable, but the money has been pouring in. “The floodgates have really opened,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. “It’s like, wow.” Republicans, including Trump, have noticed too, and are looking to head off an embarrassing outcome. The president joined both Republican candidates by telephone on separate tele-town halls Thursday to help get out the vote in the “all-important” elections.
An Early Test in Republican Territory
National Democrats point to the fundraising hauls in some of the most conservative parts of Florida as a sign that voters are already fed up with the president’s aggressive second term, a message they’re hoping to parlay into grassroots support — and more money — ahead of the 2026 midterms. Voters in Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts will be among the first to put the new administration to an electoral test in the April 1 special elections to fill seats once held by former Reps. Matt Gaetz and Waltz, who were both tapped to join the Trump administration.
The Candidates
Democrats Gay Valimont in the 1st District and Josh Weil in the 6th District have both far outraised and outspent their Trump-backed Republican competitors, in districts the president won by 30 points or more in 2024. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who’s running in the 1st District, and state Sen. Randy Fine in the 6th District have both campaigned as staunch allies of the president, who endorsed them in the primary.
A Call for Help from a Surprising Source
According to an email shared with the AP, even people in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ orbit are working to gin up support for Fine — a notable development because of the venom the two Sunshine State Republicans hold for each other, after Fine publicly turned on DeSantis to endorse Trump during the 2024 presidential primary. In a message to voters this week, a DeSantis staffer urged “grassroots warriors” to knock on doors and make phone calls in the 6th District, saying the race “is at a critical crossroads” and “the stakes couldn’t be higher.”
AP Photo/Kate Payne
Democratic candidate Gay Valimont poses for a portrait outside her campaign office in Pensacola, Fla. on March 17, 2025.
Conclusion
Winning both races next Tuesday would be colossal for a Democratic Party that has struggled to settle on a way to push back during the early days of the second Trump administration. Winning either — or even narrowing the margin in districts the president won by more than 30 points less than five months ago — could help alleviate the panic that set in among party leaders after Republicans swept both houses of Congress and the presidency in November.
FAQs
- Q: What are the special elections in Florida about?
A: The special elections in Florida are to fill the seats left vacant by former Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz, who were both tapped to join the Trump administration. - Q: Who are the Democratic candidates in the 1st and 6th Congressional Districts?
A: The Democratic candidates are Gay Valimont in the 1st District and Josh Weil in the 6th District. - Q: How much has Josh Weil raised for his campaign?
A: Josh Weil has pulled in an eye-popping $9 million, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. - Q: What is the significance of the special elections?
A: The special elections are seen as an early test of the new administration and could potentially indicate the mood of the voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.
