Republican Randy Fine has won the special election to replace former Rep. Mike Waltz (R), who is now national security advisor to President Donald Trump, in Florida's 6th Congressional District (FL-6). This is an important hold for Republicans and adds one more seat to the their small majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The contest pitted Fine against Democrat opponent, Josh Weil. Weil has been making headlines in recent weeks for his impressive fundraising prowess, which has resulted in a reported windfall of over $10 million to Fine's relatively paltry $1.2 million haul. Weil's bulging fundraising chest was a clear signal that Democrats were taking this race very seriously.

Republicans have been sounding the alarm over the fundraising disparity between Fine and Weil, with some party leaders worried that momentum was on Weil's side going into the election, as evidenced by the fundraising numbers. The GOP had considered FL-6 a very safe district since President Trump won there by over 30 percent in 2024. Waltz had easily won reelection in November before being named to the president's national security team, so the thought was that poaching Waltz wouldn't be an issue because of the district's very red leanings. 

This race, along with the one also taking place Tuesday in Florida's 1st Congressional District (FL-1), underscores the very fragile hold Republicans currently have in the U.S. House of Representatives. Going into the Tuesday's special elections, the GOP had a 218-213 advantage, and presumed retaking FL-1 and FL-6 would be a cake walk.