Greek-American Dimitris "Jimmy" Patronis elected Congressman

Dimitris Patronis, who becomes the seventh Greek-American Congressman to serve in the current Congress, entered the race last November after President Donald Trump publicly encouraged him to run for the seat. Following Trump’s endorsement, several announced candidates quickly dropped out of the race and endorsed him.

The 1st District special election was held in conjunction with the 6th District special election on the other side of Florida. Democrats have surpassed campaign finance expectations in both districts, with Valimont raising $6.5 million for the race. Patronis has raised $2.1 million. The Democratic National Committee announced last month that it was investing in both districts.

A Democratic victory in the district would be a major political earthquake. The 1st District is arguably the most conservative in the state. Trump won the district by 37 percentage points, while Gaetz beat Valimont in the district by 32 points.