In the News
Florida Democrats Celebrate Historic Performances in Florida’s First and Sixth Congressional Districts
The Florida Democratic Party is proud to report historic performances in Florida’s First and Sixth Congressional Districts.
As of 8:45pm Eastern Time, with over 95% of precincts reporting, Democrat Gay Valimont received 42.2% of the vote and Republican Jimmy Patronis received 56.9% of the vote — a 15 point margin, 17 points closer than 2024 and the closest congressional margin in CD 1 history. In addition, Valimont is the first Democratic candidate in modern history to win Escambia County.
As of 8:45pm Eastern Time, with over 95% of precincts reporting, Democrat Josh Weil received 42.8% of the vote and Republican Randy Fine received 56.5% of the vote — a 14 point margin, 18 points closer than 2024.
In response, the Florida Democratic Party has issued the following statement:
“Florida Democrats just put the Republican Party on notice,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “Tonight’s results represent a historic overperformance for Democrats and show that voters are already rejecting Trump’s extreme agenda.
“Though we came up short in these reliably red districts, a double digit swing tonight serves as a warning to Republicans in Congress. There are no ‘safe’ seats in Florida in 2026. Any Republican in a Trump +15 seat or closer should be scared about their re-election chances.
“I want to thank Gay Valimont and Josh Weil — as well as their teams and the local county parties supporting their efforts — for running sophisticated campaigns to bring these races down to the wire. Their fundraising and organizing efforts showed the country that Florida is worth fighting for, and because of them, Florida Democrats have momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. Their work will reverberate in their districts for years to come.”