DeSantis Slams Newly Elected Florida GOP Congressman: 'He's a Squish'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis turned up the heat on Representative-elect Randy Fine, labeling him a “squish” during a press conference Wednesday. DeSantis attributed Fine’s narrow victory in a traditionally Republican stronghold to what he called the candidate’s “unique problems.”

Fine, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, managed to secure a win in Tuesday’s special election for the 6th Congressional District by a mere 14 points—the slimmest margin for a Republican in the area since 2018. DeSantis didn’t hold back, claiming that voters reluctantly supported Fine, essentially “taking one for the team.”

DeSantis remarked, "The president really had to bail him out at the end. If Trump hadn’t stepped in, this race would’ve been much closer." He added that Fine has a knack for repelling voters, even among Republican ranks.

The governor also shared a bit of political drama from the past, recounting how state lawmakers had urged him to nominate Fine as the president of Florida Atlantic University to essentially remove him from the legislature. According to DeSantis, the university board threatened to resign en masse rather than appoint Fine.

The tension between DeSantis and Fine isn’t new. Fine had publicly switched his allegiance from DeSantis to Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries. He even penned an op-ed criticizing DeSantis for his handling of antisemitism in the wake of Hamas’ attacks on Israelis in October 2023.

DeSantis didn’t mince words about Fine’s legislative record either, accusing him of supporting restrictions on the Second Amendment, opposing immigration enforcement measures, and advocating for policies akin to sanctuary cities.

Fine fired back on social media, posting a video of DeSantis’ remarks and writing, "A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. I’m focused on working with President Trump to stop Democrats, not on petty fights." His allies were equally vocal, accusing DeSantis of undermining Trump-backed candidates and prioritizing his own political agenda.

For now, the newly elected congressman adds another vote to the GOP’s increasingly fragile House majority—a fact that seems to have done little to soften DeSantis’ critique.