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Schwartzel Projected to Beat Lauf for Florida 19th GOP Nomination

8/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

Jim Schwartzel is projected to defeat Catalina Lauf for the Republican nomination for Rep. Byron Donalds’s Florida 19th District seat after Donalds ran for governor.
The loss hurts U.S. President Donald Trump, who backed Lauf, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan endorsed Schwartzel.
Former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, former Rep. Chris Collins, John Strand and Democratic hopefuls Victor Arias, Robert Neeld and Howard Sapp also ran.

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Story summary

Jim Schwartzel is projected to defeat Catalina Lauf for the Republican nomination for Rep. Byron Donalds’s Florida 19th District seat after Donalds ran for governor.
The loss hurts U.S. President Donald Trump, who backed Lauf, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan endorsed Schwartzel.
Former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, former Rep. Chris Collins, John Strand and Democratic hopefuls Victor Arias, Robert Neeld and Howard Sapp also ran.