Trump Pick Loses Donalds Primary
Trump-endorsed Catalina Lauf lost a crowded Florida GOP primary for Byron Donalds’ seat.
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Updated Aug 18, 8:45pm ETEvery side, every morning
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The reporting
Jim Schwartzel won the Republican primary for Florida’s 19th Congressional District with 29.2% of the vote, defeating President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate Catalina Lauf, who had 21.9%. The seat is open because Rep. Byron Donalds is leaving Congress to run for governor, and Schwartzel’s win came in a 10-candidate field. Trump endorsed Lauf on Aug. 13, days before the primary. In another Florida result, Donalds won the Republican gubernatorial primary with Trump’s backing.
Analysis & opinion
Far-Right LimitsBalanced
Trump-aligned or far-right backing was not enough to guarantee victory in Florida’s 19th District primary. James Fishback’s loss showed that even in a hard-right Republican environment, voters could still reject a candidate carrying that brand.
Chaotic GOP PrimaryMostly Left
Florida’s Republican primary politics in this race was unusually messy and chaotic. The contest reflected a party environment shaped by scandal, extremism, and disorder rather than a normal predictable primary.
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