Fine, Patronis Win Special Election Primaries in Bid to Replace Waltz, Gaetz in Congress

Both of President Donald Trump’s picks to fill vacant Florida congressional seats won their primary elections on Jan. 28. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis was declared the winner of the primary election against nine other Republican candidates fighting to fill the state’s first congressional district seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz. Patronis’s victory was declared by The Associated Press 7 minutes after polls closed in his district. He received almost 33,400 votes, about 66 percent of the 93 percent counted votes as of 9:07 p.m. local time. State Rep. Joel Rudman was in second place with more than 5,000 votes, or 10 percent of the counted votes....