Pro-Israel firebrand Randy Fine wins Florida congressional primary
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis is also on a fast track to Capitol Hill after winning his own primary race

AP Photo/Phil Sears
Florida state Sen. Randy Fine on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in the Knott Building at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla.
Florida state Sen. Randy Fine, a Jewish Republican and outspoken supporter of Israel, handily won a special congressional primary in Florida’s 6th Congressional District on Tuesday, almost certainly guaranteeing him a seat in the House.
Fine, who is running for the seat previously held by former Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) with an endorsement from President Donald Trump, is set to become the fourth Jewish Republican in the House after the April 1 general election in the conservative district, which stretches from the Jacksonville suburbs to Daytona Beach. He’ll be part of the largest cohort of Jewish Republicans in Congress in years.
Fine has become known in Florida politics for his outspoken support for Israel and for combating antisemitism. He has also gained attention for sometimes-inflammatory comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The ‘Hebrew Hammer’ is coming,” Fine said on X after announcing his congressional bid. “[Rashida Tlaib] and [Ilhan Omar] might consider leaving before I get there. #BombsAway.”
Elsewhere in the state, in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, former Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis easily won his own GOP primary race to replace former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). He’s also expected to coast to a general election victory in the western Panhandle district that includes Pensacola.
Both Fine and Patronis were endorsed by AIPAC and the Republican Jewish Coalition.