Republican Candidate Appeals To Trump Connection As He Faces Unexpectedly Tough Battle In Florida's 6th District

Election Day in Florida's 6th District has kicked off to replace national security advisor Michael Waltz in the U.S. House of Representatives. As Republicans see some vulnerabilities in a district that comfortably went for President Trump last November, GOP candidate state Sen. Randy Fine is appealing to the GOP leader connection, saying he does not disagree with him on anything.

Fine stopped by ABC News Live on Monday as part of his closing appearances for his campaign. There, he took the time to show his allegiance to the president to a town that has consistently stood by him throughout his presidential runs.

"I don't think so," Fine told ABC News Live anchor Diane Macedo when asked if he disagrees with Trump on anything.

"I mean, look, I was the second Florida legislator to endorse [Trump] over Gov. [Ron] DeSantis [in the 2024 presidential primaries]... And so no, I mean, I believe in the America First agenda and the Donald Trump agenda. And more importantly, I think that when you have a team captain, you have to support the team," Fine said.

Fine's race is one two special elections for the U.S. House in Florida taking place on Tuesday that could have an impact on the balance of power in Congress. Republicans currently control the House at 218-213 members.

The other one will elect who will replace disgraced Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was Trump's original pick to be attorney general before his nomination got derailed over accusations of sexual misconduct.

The Republican candidates— Fine and Florida's chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis in the 1st District— are favored to win, given that both of their districts comfortably favored Trump in the November presidential elections. Nevertheless, other GOP lawmakers have shown worries over Fine's campaign and fundraising, as experts predict the races will be closer than anticipated.

Fine had raised or received about $987,000 from late November 2024 through mid-March, while his opponent, Democratic candidate Josh Weil, raised or received over $9 million from Oct. 1, 2024, through mid-March.

According to a recent public opinion survey, Weil narrowly trails Fine. According to the BBC, some polls even show Weil ahead by 3 points. That's enough to fuel the GOP's anxiety.

"There's no excuse for a Republican not to win this race," said Randy Ross, a Florida-based conservative activist who campaigned there for Trump in 2016 and 2024. "The only excuse that can possibly be had is Republicans weren't excited and didn't get out to vote."

Democrats tend to perform better during special elections, which adds to Republicans' concerns as they seek to maintain their slim majority in the House. Democrats have already performed well this year. In January, the Democratic candidate for a State Senate seat in Iowa won by four points in a district Trump carried by 20 points. In March, a Pennsylvania Democrat won by two points in a special State Senate election in a district that Trump won by more than 10 points in 2024.