Republicans choose their congressional candidates in Florida: Trump wins several battles but has two setbacks

Republicans selected their candidates for several of the most important House of Representatives races in Florida. Donald Trump's endorsement once again played a significant role in several primaries, although the president also suffered some setbacks, including the defeats of Cory Mills and Catalina Lauf.

Florida voters went to the polls on Tuesday to choose their House of Representatives candidates for November 3. The primaries were held for the first time under the state's new congressional map, which redrew several districts and created new opportunities for Republicans.

The president got involved and ultimately tipped the scales in favor of most of his candidates, many of whom are congressional incumbents. Among those who won their primaries without a hitch were Gus Bilirakis, Anna Paulina Luna, Randy Fine, Jimmy Patronis, Laurel Lee, Greg Steube, Scott Franklin, and Brian Mast.

In addition, María Elvira Salazar (District 27), Carlos Giménez (District 28), and Mario Díaz-Balart (District 26) also prevailed in their respective primaries and advanced to the general election in November to seek reelection. All three are prominent figures in the Republican Party in South Florida and enjoy strong support among Hispanic voters.

However, Florida held several open and competitive primaries. Among this group, the most notable results were the victories of Austin Rogers in District 2, Ryan Elijah in District 7, Mike Beltran in District 14, Jim Schwartzel in District 19, Joe Strada in District 11, Dan Green in District 9, Sydney Gruters in District 16, Casey Askar in District 22, and Scott Singer in District 25.

District 7: Cory Mills' Defeat

In District 7, Ryan Elijah won the Republican primary by defeating incumbent Cory Mills, who had Trump's endorsement. Elijah received 46%, compared to Mills's 30%.

Throughout the campaign, Mills was investigated by the House Ethics Committee for alleged violations of campaign finance rules, issues related to his financial disclosures, possible misuse of congressional resources, and allegations of sexual misconduct and relationship violence, all of which he denied.

Elijah is a former television news anchor and sports reporter, with a career spanning more than a decade in Florida. He was a news anchor and field reporter for the NFL, and he presents himself as a political outsider who has lived in Florida for more than 20 years.

District 19: Trump's endorsement wasn't enough for Catalina Lauf

Another highly anticipated primary was in District 19, where the race was left open after Byron Donalds decided to leave the House to run for Florida governor. 

His departure sparked a race in which several Republicans sought to become his successor in one of the state's most conservative districts. Several high-profile candidates vied for the Republican nomination, including former Congressmen Madison Cawthorn and Chris Collins, former state Senator Jim Oberweis, businessman Jim Schwartzel, and Catalina Lauf, who secured Trump's endorsement.

Ultimately, Schwartzel won with 29% of the vote, followed by Lauf with 21%.

Schwartzel is a media entrepreneur from Fort Myers and a well-known figure in southwest Florida. He is president of Sun Broadcasting and owner of the conservative radio station 92.5 FOX News. He was one of the few candidates with roots in the district.

Cawthorn unsuccessfully attempted to return to Congress after losing his reelection bid in North Carolina's 11th District in 2022. He received 8% of the vote.

District 2: Victory for Austin Rogers

One of the most closely watched open primaries was in District 2, where Austin Rogers won with 35% of the vote. Rogers, a former aide to Senator Rick Scott, defeated Evan Power, chairman of the Florida Republican Party, who received 30% of the vote.

During his campaign, Rogers presented himself as a candidate aligned with the America First agenda, although he did not receive Trump's endorsement, as Trump chose to remain on the sidelines.

The race was wide open after Republican Congressman Neal Dunn announced he would not seek reelection. His retirement turned the district into one of Florida's major open Republican primaries.

District 11: Joe Strada's narrow victory

In District 11, Joe Strada won the Republican primary against Carey Baker and Tim Wilkins. With 98% of the votes counted, Strada received 33.5%, compared to 30% for Baker and 25% for Wilkins.

The race opened up after Congressman Daniel Webster decided not to seek reelection. Webster had represented the district for years, and his departure sparked a contest among several Republicans seeking to succeed him.

Strada is a Florida businessman and the founder of Strada Services, a family-owned company that provides air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and security services.

District 14: Victory for Mike Beltran

Another competitive primary was in District 14, where attorney Mike Beltran won the nomination. The former state representative prevailed with 45% of the vote over Kevin Steele (30%) and Bea Valenti (9%).

Beltran heads into the general election with experience in the Florida House of Representatives, where he became known for his conservative stances and confrontational style on issues such as immigration, taxes, and state regulation.

The new congressional map transformed District 14 into an opportunity for Republicans. For years, Democrat Kathy Castor represented the district, but the new lines favor the GOP.

District 22: Victory for Casey Askar

In District 22, Casey Askar won a Republican primary with nine candidates vying for a seat that opened after redistricting.

Askar is a South Florida businessman and founder of Askar Family & Commercial, a company involved in construction and real estate services. His run for Congress marked his first major foray into electoral politics, and he earned CPAC's endorsement. He received 30% of the vote, compared to 19% for Michael Carbonara and 18% for Belinda Keiser.

Lois Frankel, the current Democratic representative, stepped down following the state Legislature's redistricting and chose to run in District 23.

District 16: Victory for Sydney Gruters

In District 16, Sydney Gruters won the Republican primary to succeed Congressman Vern Buchanan, who decided to retire after nearly two decades in the House. Gruters, the wife of Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, is the executive director of the New College of Florida Foundation.

Aside from District 19, this was the only open primary in which Trump endorsed a candidate.

District 25: Victory for Scott Singer

In District 25, Scott Singer prevailed in another closely contested Republican primary. Singer took first place with 31%, followed by George Moraitis (27%) and Dan Franzese (25%).

Singer entered the race as mayor of Boca Raton and built his congressional campaign around an image of a conservative leader, emphasizing tax cuts, curbing government spending, and defending public safety.

The race gained significance following the latest redistricting, which transformed the district previously represented by Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz into a much more favorable opportunity for the Republican Party.

District 9: Victory for Dan Green

In an effort to defeat Democrat Darren Soto, the Republicans nominated Dan Green, a businessman and former local official from Florida.

Green prevailed in a crowded Republican primary with 25.4% of the vote. Trailing behind him were Ben Butler (24%), Thomas Chalifoux (20%), and Jorge Martínez (19%).

For Republicans, the race represents an opportunity to turn redistricting changes into a new seat, since Soto is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in this election cycle.

Democratic results

In a victory for the more moderate wing of the Democratic Party, Congressman Jared Moskowitz won the Democratic primary in District 25 against Oliver Larkin, a candidate backed by sectors of the party's left. Due to changes in the electoral map, Moskowitz will leave District 23 to run in this district.

Another Democratic primary that drew attention was in District 20. There, veteran Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz prevailed in a unique race. The Democrat has served in Congress for more than two decades, but the new district map led her to leave her district and run in a predominantly Black district instead. Her decision drew criticism from Democratic and African American leaders, including the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, Nikki Fried, who said she was "disappointed" by the decision.

Wasserman Schultz won the primary with 45% of the vote. Trailing behind her were former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness (23%), activist Elijah Manley (14%), former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (9%), and musician Luther Campbell (8%).

Finally, Charlie Crist returned to the ballot in Florida, but this time in a local race. The former governor and former congressman ran for mayor of St. Petersburg, seeking to relaunch his political career after losing the 2022 gubernatorial election to DeSantis. Crist, who served as governor as a Republican from 2007 to 2011 before switching to the Democratic Party, finished first with 35% of the vote, compared with 21% for incumbent mayor Ken Welch. The two will face off in a head-to-head race on November 3.