Catalina Lauf, despite being endorsed by President Donald Trump, did not succeed in Florida’s Republican primary for the seat left by Representative Byron Donalds. Jim Schwartzel, a conservative media executive, claimed victory in the GOP nomination for Florida’s 19th Congressional District. The Associated Press declared Schwartzel the winner on Tuesday at 8:03 p.m. ET.
Lauf’s endorsement from Trump came late in the election. Trump had used Truth Social to support her. Lauf was looking to replace Donalds, who vacated the Republican seat to pursue a gubernatorial run. Lauf had previously run unsuccessfully in Illinois before relocating to Florida. Newsweek contacted Lauf’s campaign for comments following her defeat.
Trump’s Endorsement and Election Outcome
Trump endorsed Lauf on Truth Social, praising her past work as a Presidential Appointee at the U.S. Department of Commerce during his administration. He endorsed her as a courageous and wise candidate. Despite the endorsement, Schwartzel won with about 29% of the vote as of 9:58 p.m. ET. Lauf had approximately 22% of the vote. This result highlighted a setback for Trump’s endorsement, considering the GOP’s strength in Florida’s 19th District.
Donalds won his nomination for governor with Trump’s support and now faces Democrat David Jolly in November. Republicans in Florida are looking to maintain their control as Donalds aims for the governor’s mansion.
Primary Season Highlights
Trump has seen success in several key endorsements during the 2026 primary season. Yet, he also faced setbacks, like Representative Randy Feenstra’s loss to Zach Lahn in Iowa.
Following the primary results, Trump expressed his satisfaction in a post, celebrating numerous victories. Midterm elections often reflect the public’s view of the current president, and historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats. Currently, Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House with 218 seats compared to the Democrats’ 212.
Other Florida Primary Results
Byron Donalds secured the Republican primary for governor and moves onto the general election against Jolly. U.S. Senator Ashley Moody emerged victorious in her primary and faces Democrat Angie Nixon in the Senate race in November.
Elsewhere, Representative Cory Mills lost his reelection to Ryan Elijah, who will confront Bale Dalton in Florida’s U.S. House District 7. Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz succeeded in her primary in the 20th District and will compete against Republican Brent Andersen in November.