Opinion - Florida Republicans won. Now let's get back to work.

Yahoo

07-04-2025

On Tuesday, Republicans Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won special House elections in Florida. The media is spinning it as a closer-than-expected race that spells doom and dissatisfaction for Republicans.
The media are absolutely wrong.
In 2017, President Trump was in the final stretch of his first 100 days. The left had organized a resistance movement that was determined to stop a president they deemed unfit for office — one who, in their mind, had certainly won only because of foreign influence and cheating.
The new president had tapped then-Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) to head the CIA, and a race was underway in a solid red Kansas district that the new president had handily won just five months prior.
But as I wrote in 2017, Republicans in the district I now represent were not dissatisfied with the actions of the president. Rather, they were unhappy about the inaction of congressional Republicans. I won by just over six points. Two years later, and against the same opponent in a regular-turnout midterm election, I won by nearly 19 points.
Patronis's and Fine's wins were even larger last week at nearly 15 points — and that's despite having millions of dollars dumped into their districts. Reports show they were outraised almost 10-to-1. And what do Democrats have to show for it? Two losses and a stronger Republican majority.
Democrats will still try to characterize last week's Republican victories as a referendum on Trump, and they will claim their party is destined to take control of the House in 2026 just as they did in 2018. But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) shouldn't be counting on holding a gavel at the start of the 120th Congress.
The differences between 2017 and 2025 are stark. There is no denying that Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 election, flipping 41 seats, but 2026 won't be the same race. To begin with, in 2018, there were 25 Republicans in districts that Hillary Clinton had won two years prior. Today, Republicans represent just three districts that Kamala Harris won in November.
On the other hand, 13 vulnerable Democrats have to figure out a way to please constituents in districts that President Trump won just five months ago. And they have to do it while their base moves further to the left and increases its antics across the country.
Meanwhile, Trump's poll numbers continue to outpace his numbers during the same time period of his first administration. What's more, Republicans are generally more unified in advancing his agenda — we will have positive wins for the American people before the end of this first year.
Americans are expecting results. Republicans flipped the White House, House and Senate in 2024, and now we must return to work, with Patronis and Fine, to secure our borders, reduce runaway spending, rid our government of waste, and pass meaningful tax reform through extending and enhancing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Republicans should also take note that Democrats are willing to dump massive amounts of money to try and sway by-elections. As much as the left crows about money influencing politics, it has no issue when Hollywood elites, billionaire hedge fund managers and the son of Bill Gates send checks across state lines.
And with Trump not at the top of the ticket in less than two years and Democrats having no serious chance to flip the Senate, all of their money will be heading straight to the House.
Tuesday's election was not a warning to Republicans to stop pursuing President Trump's America First agenda — it was a decisive win and a reminder for House Republicans to fulfill our mandate prepare for the tidal wave of Democratic dollars that will be spent to undermine our majority.
Ron Estes, a Republican, has represented the 4th Congressional District of Kansas since he won a special election on Apr. 11, 2017.
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