Florida Republican Primary Results and Trump Endorsements

In a competitive race for Florida’s 19th Congressional District, Jim Schwartzel, a conservative media executive, won the GOP nomination. This came despite former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of candidate Catalina Lauf. With a crowded field that included ex-Representatives Madison Cawthorn and Chris Collins, Schwartzel secured victory on Tuesday, as reported by the Associated Press at 8:03 p.m. ET.

Lauf received Trump’s support late in the race. He promoted her on Truth Social, aiming to position her as a successor to Representative Byron Donalds. Donalds vacated the congressional seat to seek the Republican nomination for governor. Lauf had previously run for Congress in Illinois before relocating to Florida.

In the final vote tally, Schwartzel led with approximately 29% of the vote, while Lauf followed with about 22%. This result signifies a setback for Trump’s endorsements, particularly since Florida’s 19th District heavily favors Republicans. Historically, GOP nominees have strong chances of winning here, as Donalds secured about 66% of votes in the district in 2024.

Rep. Byron Donalds gained the Republican gubernatorial nomination with Trump’s backing and will run against Democratic nominee David Jolly in the general election. With these key races determined, Florida Republicans aim to sustain their influence, while Donalds aspires to transition from Congress to the governor’s office.

Though Trump achieved some primary successes in 2026, he’s experienced significant disappointments. These include Representative Randy Feenstra’s primary loss in Iowa to Zach Lahn. Reacting to the primary outcomes on X, Trump proclaimed, “A lot of great WINS tonight!!! President DJT.”

Midterm elections often gauge public approval for the sitting president, and historically, the president’s party loses seats. Currently, Republicans maintain a slight majority in the House with 218 seats against the Democrats’ 212.

Florida Primary Election Results

• Byron Donalds earns the Republican primary win for governor to contest against Jolly in November.
• U.S. Senator Ashley Moody advances from her Republican primary to face Democrat Angie Nixon in the Senate race.
• Representative Cory Mills lost to Ryan Elijah, facing Bale Dalton in Florida’s U.S. House District 7 race.
• Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz succeeded in her primary in the 20th District, preparing to challenge Republican Brent Andersen in November.