Knives out as scandal-scarred Republicans pile into one Florida race: 'You went to prison'
Despite a colorful slate of contenders that includes candidates who have served federal prison sentences, previously left Congress under clouds of scandal, or tried and failed to run for Congress elsewhere, the contest to replace Rep. Byron Donalds in Florida’s 19th Congressional District has so far remained relatively quiet.
The potent combination of wealth and conservatism makes southwest Florida an attractive spawning ground for Republican candidates aspiring to national, or at least statewide, prominence.
Donalds’ victory in the 2020 congressional race propelled him onto the national stage, where his track record as a loyal MAGA soldier briefly put him in contention as President Donald Trump’s running mate during the 2024 election. Now, with Donalds running for governor, 11 candidates are scrambling to fill his open seat....