The race to replace Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) has become one of the most competitive, crowded primaries this cycle.It’s just that few of the leading contenders in the Republican primary are from Florida.The race to replace Donalds features an eclectic array of candidates, including former members of Congress and congressional candidates from other parts of the country.
“There’s a chance that the headline is not going to read, ‘Florida man wins primary,’” GOP strategist Dennis Lennox told the Washington Examiner.“This is a wild and crazy race featuring a whole cast of characters, including also-rans and disgraced has-been carpetbaggers, and yet, in some ways, it’s kind of representative of Florida writ large,” Lennox continued. “How many people from around the country have moved to Florida, for whatever reason, to turn the page and start a new life?”President Donald Trump shook up the race Thursday night when he endorsed Catalina Lauf, who has two previous congressional bids in Illinois, all but sealing the fate of the other candidates. Lauf has polled close to Jim Schwartzel, a native of Florida who owns a radio station in the area, in the limited polling available for this race.The House seat for Florida’s 19th Congressional District opened up after Donalds launched a bid for governor, where he’s favored in the Sunshine State and endorsed by Trump. The coastal district includes Naples and Fort Myers Beach, making it an ideal location for transplants. The deep Republican district went for Trump by 30 points in 2024, making the victor of Tuesday’s primary all but certain to win the general election.Catalina Lauf
