TALLAHASSEE—President Donald Trump is striking Elise Stefanik's nomination for United Nations ambassador because he's "scared" state Sen. Randy Fine will lose his congressional race, according to Florida Republicans familiar who spoke to The Floridian.
The comments from the two conservatives, granted anonymity to speak freely, follow reports that Fine's race against Democrat Josh Weil in the deep-red Congressional District 6 is far closer than most people expected, with some polls showing Weil within striking distance ahead of the April 1 special election.
"This is showing me that they are scared," said a top Florida Republican, referring to the White House withdrawing their nomination of New York Rep. Stefanik as UN ambassador on Thursday. "The only reason they would ask Elise Stefanik to remain in Congress is if the Trump administration is definitely afraid of Randy Fine not winning his ruby red seat.
"That's the only thing that makes sense," the source added.
Congressional Republicans suffer a razor-thin 218 to 215 majority in the U.S. House, compounded by former Rep. Mike Waltz vacating CD-6 to become Trump's national security adviser and former Rep. Matt Gaetz resigning his Florida seat to become the next Attorney General, though his nomination was later withdrawn.
Putting Stefanik back in Congress could be an insurance policy against Fine potentially losing his race, the Republicans said.
"Trump's scared, or he's definitely hedging his bets against Fine losing," said a Republican lobbyist. "The thought process could be, 'If we lose Fine's district, we're screwed,' because why bother now? Why not wait a week? It just screams that they're not confident, absent there's a good reason they need to pull [the nomination] because of Stefanik."
Stefanik was scheduled to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Apr. 2, a day after the special election for CD-6. Trump explained his nomination withdrawal in a Thursday Truth Social message, claiming that due to a "very tight Majority" the party can't "take a chance on anyone else" running for Stefanik's New York seat.
Early voting for CD-6 began Saturday. The latest polling by St. Pete Polls has Fine, endorsed by Trump, edging out Weil by just four points in a district that the President won by double digits in November and that Waltz had won with 66.5%. Weil, a public school teacher whom Fine has accused of endorsing "Muslim terror" and misspending his funds, has massively outraised the Florida Senator.
Fine, who declined to comment, will have a tele-rally alongside the President this evening. He resigns from the state Senate on Monday.
The election is Tuesday.
