In the special election for the U.S. House of Representatives, the ruling party, the Republican Party, won both seats. However, the difference in vote percentages was smaller than in the elections last November.
On the 1st (local time), according to foreign reports, candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine of the Republican Party won against Democratic candidates in the special elections for Florida's 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, respectively.
As a result, the number of seats in the House of Representatives (with 2 vacancies) now stands at 220 for the ruling Republican Party and 213 for the opposition Democratic Party.
The vacancy in Florida's 1st Congressional District arose after former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was nominated as Attorney General in Trump's second term but fell from grace, resigned from his seat.
Additionally, Florida's 6th Congressional District held a special election after former Congressman Mike Waltz stepped down when he was appointed by President Donald Trump as National Security Advisor.
Although the Republican Party won all the elections this time, the situation is not one to celebrate too much. According to the Associated Press, the gap in vote percentages between the party candidates is expected to be much narrower compared to last November when Republican House candidates won by more than 30 percentage points over their Democratic counterparts in both districts.
Florida, where President Trump’s residence is located, is classified as a so-called "red state" with strong support for the Republican Party in recent elections. In particular, the 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, where the special elections were held, are considered areas in Florida with relatively stronger Republican support.