{"id":2646709,"date":"2026-08-18T21:15:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-lauf-falls-to-schwartzel-in-open-house-race-for-donalds-seat\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T21:18:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:18:15","slug":"trump-backed-lauf-falls-to-schwartzel-in-open-house-race-for-donalds-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-lauf-falls-to-schwartzel-in-open-house-race-for-donalds-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump-backed Lauf falls to Schwartzel in open House race for Donalds seat"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-backed-lauf-falls-to-schwartzel-in-open-house-race-for-donalds-seat%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2646709&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Catalina Lauf, President Donald Trump&#8217;s pick for Florida\u2019s 19th Congressional District, lost the Republican primary to businessman Jim Schwartzel. Schwartzel secured approximately 29.2% of the vote,while Lauf,a former Trump adviser,trailed with about 21.9%. The race included other notable candidates, such as Madison Cawthorn and Chris Collins.The district is considered solidly Republican, positioning Schwartzel for a November victory. Schwartzel highlights his background in founding a conservative radio station and promotes an \u201cAmerica First\u201d platform supporting Trump\u2019s policies, border security, and opposition to \u201cwoke\u201d ideology. Lauf, endorsed by trump, emphasized border security, economic growth, and deregulation, branding herself as a next-generation conservative. She aims to bring business experiance to Congress and work on Trump\u2019s economic agenda. Incumbent Byron Donalds was reelected with 66.3% of the vote. Schwartzel will face Democrat Victor Arias in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-bidens-envoy-threatens-brazil-not-to-question-electronic-vote\/\" title=\"Report: Biden\u2019s envoy threatens Brazil not to question electronic vote\">upcoming general election<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s\u00a0pick for Florida\u2019s 19th Congressional District, Catalina Lauf, lost the Republican primary on Tuesday, falling to businessman Jim Schwartzel in the bid to succeed Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/byron-donalds\/\">Byron Donalds<\/a>, who is running for governor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartzel won with 29.2% of the vote when the <em>Associated Press<\/em> called the race at 8 p.m. Lauf, a former Trump adviser, trailed at 21.9%, followed by several other candidates, including former Reps. Madison Cawthorn and Chris Collins. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4691627\/florida-senate-alex-vindman-angie-nixon\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Socialist Nixon upsets Trump whistleblower Vindman to win Florida Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4690388\/ryan-elijah-cory-mills-florida-house-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ryan Elijah beats embattled Cory Mills in another ousting of an incumbent<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4691584\/catalina-lauf-jim-schwartzel-donalds-florida-seat\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump-backed Lauf falls to Schwartzel in open House race for Donalds seat<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The district is rated solidly red, setting up Schwartzel on the path to join Congress in November.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to his campaign website, Schwartzel started a conservative radio station in South Florida and brands himself as an \u201cAmerica First\u201d candidate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ll take that same common-sense, no-nonsense approach to Washington,\u201d his website said. \u201cWith President Trump, we\u2019ll cut wasteful spending, grow our economy, finish the wall, and deport illegal immigrants. I don\u2019t just talk about conservative values \u2014 I live them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notably, Schwartzel was one of the few candidates in the race who was actually born and raised in the state.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parts of his platform include supporting Trump\u2019s policies, setting term limits in Congress, protecting Florida water, securing the border and immigration enforcement, and \u201cpushing back on woke ideology.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lauf was endorsed by Trump in the days leading up to the primary. She previously ran for Congress in Illinois\u2019s 14th District in 2020 and was the Republican nominee in the 11th District in 2022, when she lost to Democratic Rep. Bill Foster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lauf, a former Trump administration adviser at the Commerce Department and a business owner, made her \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/america-first\/\">America First<\/a>\u201d credentials a central part of her campaign. She <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4683661\/catalina-lauf-new-book-congress\/\">emphasized<\/a> border security, economic growth, deregulation, and fighting what she described as the political establishment. She branded herself as a \u201cnext-generation America First\u201d candidate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> last week, Lauf said she wants to bring her business experience to Congress and work alongside Trump on his economic agenda.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d love to go up there and look at legislation from a business perspective, not from a political politician\u2019s perspective,\u201d Lauf said to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> ahead of her primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary was one of the most crowded Republican House contests in Florida, with Schwartzel facing Lauf, Cawthorn, Collins, businessman Jim Oberweis, and several other candidates.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4687990\/why-the-polls-got-it-so-wrong\/\"><strong>WHY THE POLLS GOT IT SO WRONG IN TWO MAJOR DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Donalds won reelection<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Byron_Donalds\"> in 2024 with 66.3%<\/a> of the vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartzel will face Democrat Victor Arias in November.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump-backed Lauf loses Florida primary to Schwartzel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4388,"featured_media":2646710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8542-2-e1787101235190.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[41105,84351,84352,5507],"class_list":["post-2646709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-house-race","tag-lauf","tag-schwartzel","tag-trump-backed"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8542-2-e1787101235190.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4388"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2646709"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646713,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646709\/revisions\/2646713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}