A photo on Randy Fine’s congressional campaign website
Republican Randy Fine, just elected to a state Senate seat in Brevard County, is a candidate in the special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, now an open seat as incumbent Michael Waltz is resigning to serve as national security adviser to President-elect Donald Trump.
“@realDonaldTrump needs fighters who will Make America Wealthy Again, Make American Safe Again, and someone who will stand up for Israel,” Fine announced on his X page on Tuesday morning. “That is why today I’m announcing my candidacy for FL 6th Congressional District Join me in my fight by going to http://VoteRandyFine.com.”
Fine has the backing of Trump, who said on his Truth Social page on Saturday that he was endorsing Fine for the seat, even though Fine had yet to announce his candidacy at that time.
“I am hearing that America First Patriot Randy Fine is considering launching his Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 6th Congressional District!,” Trump wrote.
“A Harvard Educated, Successful Businessman, and Highly Respected State Legislator, Randy has been an incredible Voice for MAGA, and the Great People of Florida. In Congress, Randy will be an INCREDIBLE Fighter who will work tirelessly with me to Stop Inflation, Grow our Economy, Secure the Border, Champion our Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, Protect our always under siege Second Amendment, and Restore PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.
“Should he decide to enter this Race, Randy Fine has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, RANDY, RUN!”
Boosted by Trump’s backing, Fine immediately shoots to the top of the list of candidates vying to succeed Waltz in a conservative district likely to remain in GOP hands. The district encompasses all of Flagler and Putnam Counties and portions of Lake, Marion, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.
Still, Fine could face competition in the Republican primary.
Lake County Commissioner and former state House member Anthony Sabatini told the Phoenix he will get into the race “if no other good candidates get in” — adding, however, that “it looks like someone good may get in soon.”
Special election set
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday the dates for the special election in Florida’s 6th District. Tuesday was the last day for any sitting elected officials to submit notice of resignation (which Fine has done), with the qualifying period to take place on Dec. 6 and 7. The primary election for Republicans and Democrats will be on Jan. 28 and the general election on April 1.
“I believe that President Trump was saved in Butler [Pennsylvania] so that he could save the world,” Fine told WGOX Fox-51 in Gainesville Tuesday morning. “And when on Saturday he surprised us all and said he thought I would do a good job to help him, I knew that I didn’t have a choice but to run.”
Immediately after he announced his candidacy, Southwest Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) endorsed Fine.
“Randy Fine is a warrior for his constituents and has served for years in the Florida legislature with distinction,” the RJC announced on X. “A fighter for school choice, security funding for places of worship, and an ardent defender of the State of Israel, Randy Fine will be a fierce advocate for the Jewish community in the House of Representatives. Importantly, he has led the fight and been the loudest voice against the rise of antisemitism in Florida and across the country.”
Controversy
However, Fine is a controversial figure, with critics on both the right and the left.
Most notably, he broke with DeSantis last year when the governor was competing against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Fine alleged that DeSantis had been weak on combating anti-Semitism.
Other Republicans have labelled him a “RINO,” as in Republican in Name Only, although in fact he has supported most of the Florida GOP’s agenda during his eight years in the Florida House.
“RINO Fine voted for the biggest tax increase in Florida history, the largest gun-control bill in Florida history, every piece of anti-1st amendment legislation, endorsed AGAINST Trump before flip-flopping, & dozens of other very bad bills,” Sabatini said earlier on Tuesday.
A Brevard County judge held Fine in contempt of court in October for making obscene gestures, mouthing curse words and wearing a T-shirt during a video hearing stemming from a lawsuit challenging his inclusion in the race for Brevard County Republican Executive Committee, Spectrum News reported. The judge ordered him to complete an eight-hour, in-person Florida Safety Council anger management course.
Also, the Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that he had violated ethics laws when he threatened to withhold funding to the Special Olympics after he wasn’t invited to their fundraiser. That complaint was filed by Jennifer Jenkins in 2022, when she was a candidate for the Brevard County School Board.
In April 2023, the commission found probable cause that Fine had violated ethics laws and forwarded the matter to the Division of Administrative Hearings for a full administrative trial. Last month, the commission denied a reconsideration of the case, according to the Florida Ethics Institute’s website.
Doesn’t live in district
As is the case with Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis in the Florida Congressional District 1 race, Fine does not live in the district he is now running to represent. That’s not a problem, however. The U.S Constitution says only that a candidate for the U.S. House or Senate “must be an inhabitant of the state when elected.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have done it if the president hadn’t wanted me to,” Fine said to Fox-51 in response to being asked about living outside of the district.
“I have fought for Floridians,” Fine added. “And when I brought universal school choice to every parent in Florida, that’s for every Floridian. When I ended transgender mutilation surgeries on children, that was for every Floridian, and the issues that matter to this congressional district are the issues that matter to everyone.”