DeSantis Critiques Fine Following Special Election Win
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis intensified his criticism of Randy Fine on Wednesday, attributing the newly elected representative’s victory in a special election to what he termed Fine’s “unique problems,” suggesting the win should have been more decisive.
During a press conference in Ocala, just one day after the election results were announced, DeSantis contended that former President Donald Trump’s endorsement was pivotal in securing Fine’s win. He claimed that voters were reluctant to support Fine, who had received Trump’s backing, implying that it was Trump who ultimately “bailed him out.”
“These voters didn’t really want to back Randy Fine,” DeSantis remarked, “but they thought, ‘Let’s do this for the team. The president needs another vote, so let’s hold our noses and push through.’”
National Republican leaders had voiced concerns about the contest between Fine and progressive challenger Josh Weil, who had amassed nearly $14 million and was closing in on Fine in the polls as the election approached. Trump rallied GOP support, even conducting a telephone town hall to encourage voter turnout for Fine, along with several prominent MAGA supporters promoting Fine through interviews.
Ultimately, Fine won by a margin of 14 points, a figure consistent with DeSantis’s initial margin when he first contested the seat in 2012, as well as the margin achieved by former Representative Mike Waltz in 2018. Another special election in the 1st District saw a similar outcome for Republican Jimmy Patronis.
Nevertheless, the 6th District election was broadly perceived as a lackluster performance, a sentiment echoed by DeSantis himself. In the previous two elections, both DeSantis and Trump enjoyed victories exceeding 30 points in this district, which has trended even more Republican in recent years. DeSantis noted that he did not hold any animosity towards Patronis since outside groups did not need to intervene to support his campaign during its final stages. He expressed similar views during a Wednesday morning appearance on Fox News Channel.
When asked for his thoughts on the governor’s remarks, Fine responded on X by sharing a video of DeSantis’s criticisms along with the statement: “A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. My focus is on collaborating with @realDonaldTrump to prevent Democrats from reversing our progress, not engaging with them. Let’s go.”
Allies of Fine expressed concerns that DeSantis shouldn’t flaunt his connection to Trump—whose relationship with DeSantis appears to have improved since the onset of the 2024 presidential primary—while also disparaging those he supports. A national GOP operative close to the Fine campaign, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described DeSantis’s public critiques of Fine as counterproductive. Although DeSantis did send an email to Young Republicans regarding the race, the operative asserted that he “did nothing for Randy.”
“Casey and Ron were absent throughout,” the operative lamented. “They garnered more media attention through their attacks than the Democrats did. They praise the president but do everything possible to undermine his agenda.”
DeSantis and Fine’s relationship soured in 2023 when Fine switched his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump. Fine criticized DeSantis in a Washington Times op-ed, claiming the governor failed to adequately address antisemitism in Florida during the Israel-Hamas conflict. This rift further established Fine as one of DeSantis’s main adversaries in Tallahassee, known for his combative exchanges with fellow legislators and public testimony participants.
Although DeSantis had already been vocal in his criticism of Fine during the election’s final days, his statements on Wednesday represented his most pointed remarks yet. He labeled Fine a “squish,” citing Fine’s support for a gun safety bill following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and his advocacy for a less stringent immigration bill that DeSantis deemed inadequate.
“Our base voters aren’t excited by that,” DeSantis asserted, “and you’re not giving them a reason to show up at the polls.”
Prior to their falling out, DeSantis had considered Fine for the presidency of Florida Atlantic University. He later attributed Fine’s decision to endorse Trump to disappointment over not securing the position—an assertion Fine has denied. During his press conference, DeSantis referenced this incident.
“The way he carries himself is off-putting,” DeSantis remarked. “He has alienated people in the legislature. They wanted him out, so they asked me to support his nomination for Florida Atlantic president, and I did, but the entire board would have rather resigned than appoint him. Now he’s heading to Congress.”
