Randy Fine wins Florida race, bringing tally of Jewish Republicans in Congress to 4
Fine prevails over Democrat Josh Weil in close vote, despite receiving only fraction of opponent’s campaign donations; number of Jewish GOP congressmen ‘unprecedented’ since 1980s
Randy Fine, a Jewish Republican backed by US President Donald Trump, has prevailed in a special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.
The Associated Press declared Fine the winner with 54 percent of the vote 30 minutes after the polls closed, ending attention to a race that turned out to be closer than expected amid frustration with the Trump administration and an aggressive campaign by an unorthodox Democrat who far out-raised Fine.
Fine, who has fashioned himself as a MAGA-style culture warrior, attacked his opponent, a teacher named Josh Weil, over Weil’s Muslim religion and past criticism of Israel.
Weil was raised by a single mother who he said was a “born-again Christian” and converted to Islam after marrying a Muslim woman in 2010.
A harsh critic of Israel, Weil has in the past called for an end to US aid to Israel, which Fine seized on in his campaign.
Dubbing Weil “Jihad Josh,” Fine accused his Democratic opponent earlier this week, without evidence, of relying on support “potentially from Muslim terror-supporting nations to try to take out a Jewish guy.”
Fine’s election brings the number of Jewish Republicans in Congress to four, a number that the Republican Jewish Coalition said was unprecedented since at least the 1980s.
The group said it was “gratified to have been the first organization to host a major fundraising event for Randy Fine immediately following his campaign launch.”
Fine raised approximately $1 million in campaign donations, a fraction of the $12 million brought in by his opponent in the district’s close congressional race, considered a GOP stronghold.
The race was one of two special elections in Florida on Tuesday, both of which solidified Republican control over the House.
In Florida’s 1st Congressional District, Republican candidate Jimmy Patronis prevailed over Gay Valimont in a race to fill former congressman Matt Gaetz’s seat following his resignation.
After Trump posted excitedly on his Truth Social account about Fine’s win, which solidifies Republican control of the House of Representatives, Fine shared the post. “Because of you, Mr. President,” he tweeted. “I won’t let you down.”
The Times of Israel Community.