Florida media executive Jim Schwartzel won the Republican nomination for Florida's 19th Congressional District on Tuesday, overcoming President Donald Trump's endorsement of his rival, Catalina Lauf. The victory marks an exception to a trend of Trump-backed candidates succeeding in recent primary contests.
Lauf, who served in the Department of Commerce during Trump's first term, received the former president's endorsement on August 13, just days before voters cast their ballots. This race saw a notable deviation from Trump's typically high endorsement success rate, which has remained above 93% since 2018 according to Ballotpedia's election tracker. As of mid-July, 97% of candidates endorsed by Trump had won their primaries.
The field to succeed Rep. Byron Donalds was characterized by several notable figures, including former Rep. Madison Cawthorn and former Rep. Chris Collins, who had previously been convicted of insider trading. The diverse and sometimes controversial group of candidates led Axios to dub the race the "GOP's carpetbagger primary."
During the campaign, Schwartzel criticized Lauf for previously running for Congress in Illinois before recently relocating to Florida, emphasizing his own deeper ties to the state. Lauf countered by stating she was a "blue state refugee" rather than a "carpetbagger," asserting her choice to live in Florida.
Schwartzel suggested that his supporters were displeased with Trump's endorsement of Lauf. He stated, "The President endorsed my opponent tonight. You're hearing it from me before you hear it anywhere else." He further directed his criticism towards "out-of-state super PACs" and "Washington consultants" for supporting Lauf.
President Trump has continued to demonstrate significant influence in Republican politics, with his endorsed candidates largely winning their contests throughout the 2026 primary season. This influence was recently highlighted by victories in Texas Senate runoff and other down-ballot races, reinforcing his sway within the GOP.