Lauf previously served in Trump’s first administration in the Commerce Department.
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Days out from a Republican Primary, President Donald Trump made his favorite known in a Southwest Florida congressional race.
The President endorsed Catalina Lauf, a senior adviser to the Commerce Department in his first term.
“It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Catalina Lauf, who is running to represent the tremendous people of Florida’s 19th Congressional District!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“As a former Presidential Appointee at the U.S. Department of Commerce in my First Administration, Catalina has proven she has the Courage and Wisdom to deliver strong results for the incredible people of her State and Nation — She has truly been with us from the beginning!
“As your next Congresswoman, Catalina will fight tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Catalina Lauf has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Congresswoman from Florida’s 19th Congressional District — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Lauf is one of 10 Republicans running to succeed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a candidate for Governor, in CD 19.
Recent polling has her in a virtual tie for the lead. A Victory Insights survey conducted Aug. 4-6 found Sun Broadcasting President Jim Schwartzel at 19.1% and Lauf at 18.9%, with former Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis at 11.7% and former New York U.S. Rep. Chris Collins at 8%.
Former North Carolina U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn is also seeking the GOP nomination.
The field’s out-of-state résumés have defined much of the contest. Lauf, who registered to vote in Florida in 2024 and lives in Bonita Springs, ran for Congress three times in Illinois without winning a seat, losing the 2020 Republican Primary in that state’s 14th District to Oberweis, now a rival in Florida. Collins resigned from Congress in 2019 after pleading guilty in an insider trading case; Trump pardoned him in 2020.
A Venice-based super PAC, Southwest Florida First, has spent the campaign’s final weeks attacking the transplants, including ads warning voters not to let Lauf “Illinois our Florida.”
A Trump endorsement had long been coveted by many in the field. But the President, who months ago endorsed Donalds for Governor, issued his announcement less than a week before the Aug. 18 Republican Primary.
Lauf welcomed the support.
“I’m humbled and honored to have President Trump’s complete and total endorsement,” she said. “President Trump’s FIGHT is what first called me to public service. I joined his administration because I believed in President Trump’s leadership in MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. I’m running for Congress because the families of Southwest Florida deserve a fighter in Washington who will put them FIRST.
“I represent a generation that is going to fight like hell to DEFEAT the RADICAL LEFT, protect what makes America great and deliver results for the GREAT hardworking people of Southwest Florida, and I will fight for our great people of our great country. I will NEVER BACK DOWN. To the voters of District 19, I’m asking for your vote on Tuesday. I will never let you down.”
Lauf through July 29 had spent more than $1.5 million on the race. She has also seen a surge of outside support from the Protect Freedom PAC, a super PAC tied to U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky that has directed more than $5 million in independent expenditures backing her.
Trump’s nod caps a late consolidation of national and Florida conservatives behind Lauf. U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Pinellas Republican who endorsed Lauf early in the race, has campaigned heavily for her, and U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Greg Steube recently lined up behind her as well.
The Republican Primary will likely determine who succeeds Donalds. The district, which covers coastal Lee and Collier counties and includes Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples, gave Trump more than 64% of its vote in 2024.
Three Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination, but the GOP nominee will be heavily favored in November.
The post ‘America First Patriot’: Donald Trump throws support to Catalina Lauf in heated CD 19 GOP Primary appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
