Schwartzel wins Florida House seat vacated by Donalds

Republican Jim Schwartzel is projected to win Florida’s 19th District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Schwartzel defeated Democrat Victor Arias, keeping a GOP stronghold in southwest Florida firmly in Republican hands. The victory sends the conservative media executive to Washington to replace Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who gave up his seat to run for governor .

He emerged from a crowded Republican primary in August that featured several prominent candidates, including two former members of Congress seeking political comebacks . Among them were former Reps. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) and Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), along with former Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis.

But Schwartzel’s biggest primary victory came against Catalina Lauf, a conservative activist who had secured President Trump’s endorsement.

The GOP front-runner captured roughly 29 percent of the primary vote, compared with Lauf’s 22 percent, marking a setback for the president.

DDHQ ranked the race as a “safe Republican” seat heading into Election Day. Schwartzel led Arias 58.7 percent to 40.2 percent with 76 percent of the vote reported by DDHQ as of 7:23 p.m. EST Tuesday.

A longtime southwest Florida resident and radio station owner, Schwartzel emphasized his local roots throughout the campaign, contrasting his ties to the region with opponents who had previously sought office elsewhere. The district includes portions of Lee and Collier counties.

He also entered the final stretch with a substantial fundraising advantage over Arias, raising roughly $2.8 million compared with less than $70,000 for the Democrat, according to filings from the Federal Election Commission.