Jimmy Patronis, the Trump-backed Republican candidate for Florida’s 1st Congressional District, has won former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) old seat over Democrat candidate Gay Valimont.
Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8:01 p.m. Tuesday for Patronis, who up until yesterday, served as Florida’s chief financial officer:
A Washington Post breakdown of the results shows over 88 percent of the votes being counted, with the Republican receiving 79,763 (55.4 percent) compared to Valimont’s 63,089 (43.8 percent).
It only took about an hour to call the election after polls closed at 7:00 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Patronis told Breitbart News that Republicans should never become complacent after a victory like November’s, and the party “should be scared” in “every single election.”
“I’m really excited to see, you know, what we’ve done in Florida, with so much Florida talent now going to Washington to turn our country around,” he added, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other Floridians in the Trump administration.
Patronis announced his run for the congressional seat after Gaetz stepped down from office when President Donald Trump tapped him as the next U.S. Attorney General — a role from which he withdrew his name from consideration.
In his interview with Breitbart News, the congressman-elect pointed out that Democrats threw much more money behind Valimont than his campaign received.
“My opponent is outspending me six to one. You know, the Democrats have nowhere else to spend their money,” Patronis said.
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