In one of the dreariest elections in recent memory, Randy Fine, the Brevard County state Senator, today won the Republican primary in the race to fill the congressional seat vacated by Mike Waltz, whom President Trump named his national security adviser. Josh Weil won the Democratic primary. Fine and Weill will face off in the general election on April 1.
It was not a contest.
In Flagler County, Fine took nearly 85 percent of the vote, with Aaron Baker getting around 12 percent and Ehsan Joarder less than 4 percent. Fine was winning in Volusia County with 80 percent, 76 percent in St. Johns (where fewer than 1,200 people voted) and 85 percent in Putnam counties. Marion County, slivers of which are included in the 6th Congressional District, had not reported any results as of 7:30 p.m., but those results were mathematically irrelevant to the outcome.
Fine’s exhortation on Facebook this morning as polls opened–“Every vote is vital and every vote counts”–seemed to reflect his literary mastery of hyperbole.
Same story for Weill, a 40-year-old math teacher in Kissimmee who took 68 percent of the vote in Flagler County against Geoerge Selmont, 61 in Volusia, 55 in St. Johns and 58 in Putnam County.
Turnout was dismal. With all early voting, mail ballots and all but two of Flagler County’s 21 precincts reporting, the election drew about 8,500 Republican and 3,725 Democratic votes in a county with some 99,000 registered voters, a turnout around the 14 percent mark.
Fine, like the other candidates in the race, had no connection to Flagler County and–with one exception–none to the 6th Congressional District. But he banked on a brash, boorish and confrontational style, and more particularly, on Donald Trump’s endorsement, along with a seemingly superfluous–because unopposed–avalanche of advertising to win the primary. If he campaigned anywhere in Flagler County, he did not make it anymore widely known than his knowledge of the county he aims to represent the most sharply divided Congress in a century.
With thanks to The Anchor in Flagler Beach, whose martini, mussels, french fries and WiFi made this story possible.
Democrat in Palm Coast says
I say with everything that is happening right now, Native Americans being up, Immigrants with Visas, Immigrants with Citizenship, Muslims/Islams, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Haitians, India Indians, and every any one else that have darker colored skin. ICE is out of Control, Trump’s mother was Scottish, all his wives were from the Baltics, his kids are Birthright Citizens. We are all Birthright citizens and you know who isn’t the Native Americans we took their land from them. A couple of Presidents put them on Reservations where it was their own sovereignty (Catholic Priests would go to Reservations and kidnap children to ram Christianity down their throats, the Government allowed this to happen and now it is happening again because Trump wants to get rid of Reservations. Do your research and you will find this all out).
He is USING 2025 PLAY BOOK and everyone was warned he would do this, he has STRIP AWAY WOMEN’s RIGTS, HE IS STRIPPING AWAY ON MINORITY RIGHTS, THOUSANDS OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES THAT WERE IN THEIR NINETY DAY HIRING WINDOW WAS FIRED AND NO THEY ARE NOT DEI. VETERANS WHO VOTED TWICE FOR THIS INSANE, NARCISSISTIC SOCIOPATH WILL REALIZE THAT HE HATES VETERANS AND MILITARY. HE HATES PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW CLASS BECAUSE HE JUST PUT A FREEZE ON HOUSING VOUCHERS AND NOW THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY WILL INCREASE.
I am a Proud Democrat so to stop him from PUTTING THIS COUNTRY INTO A DEPRESSION VOTE DEM ON APRIL FIRST TO PUT DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE SO THEY CAN STOP HIM. ALL THE MAGA CULT YOU WILL SUFFER TO HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU. IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER ATTENDING A NON PROFIT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY HE FROZE THE FUNDS, HE FROZE THE FUNDS AND TOOK DOWN THE SUICIDE HOTLINE, THE WORLD IS PISSED AT HIM AND THEY WILL BRING IN FIRE POWER TO STOP HIM FOR INVADING COUNTRIES, CANADA STATED THAT IF TARIFFS ARE PUT ON CANADA FOR GOODS THEN THEY WON’T SELL US ANYTHING, SO DID MEXICO. WELCOME TO NAZI GERMANY, HE IS GOING TO LEAD US INTO WWIII AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THE WAR WILL BE HERE IN AMERICA.
Thomas Hutson says
GOP’s Randy Fine
Wow, did anyone really think “Pugsley” Randy Fine would not win the GOP election for Waltz’s old Congressional Seat? Who in the hell really cares. He and King Trump ran so many ads one would think this was a major contest. I do not know this candidate personally, but from what I have read about his history, he fits the King’s mold. But you know what, look at the election results in the districts involved. It’s apparent the RED GOP voters don’t want him either. So how about all Democrats’ and Independent/NPAs sending “Pugsley” and King Trump a message – all your money cannot buy our votes. Vote for Democrat Josh Weil and put “Pugsley” and his money out of business. He will do nothing for Flagler County or any of the other districts for that matter.
Call him Daddy with the belt off says
Absolutely pathetic that two people that don’t even live here are voted onto the main ballot by Dems and Repubs. This is disgusting. Honestly. Almost 34,000 people voted for Randy Fine. Good luck with him. But if you voted for him, you must be like him—full of hate for people that don’t look like what you see in the mirror. Autocratic dictatorships never end well for anyone even their supporters. I’d say good luck but I’m out of fvcks to give.
Viva la Mexico, Madam Presidente!! 🇲🇽 And I’m not even Hispanic. I’m whiter than a piece of printer paper. Go Canada. Go Denmark. Go Panama. Go Colombia (this is how it’s spelled dimwits). Go Greenland. Slava Ukraine. What is this country called the United States of America? Call it was it is, Trumplandia. The cesspool of the world, no better than a 3rd world country now. Leaving WHO? Really? Only one other nation isn’t in WHO and it’s in Africa. The dumb leading the dumber and we are in the dumbest timeline.
Irwin M. Fltecher says
His daily assault on my mailbox and phone was repulsive. His tactics are so repugnant that I will cast my vote for the opposition. This new wave of republicans challenges our traditional party ideals.
Lev Bronstein says
“Pugsley”? Really?
Another anti-semetic trope that won’t die. And all this after the 100th anniversary of Auschwitz.
Deborah Coffey says
We will continue to live under a neo-Nazi regime until every eligible person votes. The non-voters are the worst citizens in the world and they have cost us our democracy. We’ll know soon enough if they like it or not. Pathetic.
Ed P says
Did anyone research the candidates and compare their qualifications and life’s experiences? Appears that the lack of well qualified candidates combined with voter apathy was the issue.
The search for a Palm Coast city manager amplifies our current political climate.
It truly would be hiring a unicorn to find any public employee that does what is correct rather than bending to political pressure or worries about staying employed.
In private business, the majority of great CEO s know when they take the position and are committed to “do the right things”, their employment shelf life is shortened and a termination is in their future. Politicians need to learn the same reality.
Mark Webb says
I believe the time has come for democrats to vote party over candidates. Like the republican s do.
If democrats want their ideas to survive they have to vote them into office.
It starts at the local level and grows from there.
Be smart.
Endless dark money says
Nah time to burn it down and start over. It’s too broken and corrupt to fix. Orange stain the nazi convict sex offender was the final straw.
john says
King Trump is playing golf everyday while President Musk runs the country for him. Boy did those two scam the USA.
Atwp says
Mark I agree with you.
Eddie S. says
It’s the battle of two obnoxious politicians. The least obnoxious will win, imo.
Pamela J Schaefer says
Please if nothing nice to say or you can backup with proof as to what you are saying, can we not say anything.