Laurel Lee trounces challengers to earn GOP nomination in CD 15

U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee will get to defend her House seat in November. The freshman Congresswoman won a Republican Primary in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, fending off two challengers.

Lee easily secured the nomination, winning more than 72% of the vote to James Judge’s 18% and Jennifer Barbosa’s 10%, according to unofficial election results.

“I am extremely grateful tonight for the support I have received in our community. I am proud of what we have accomplished together during my first term in Congress, and I am even more proud of what I know we can continue to do for Florida’s 15th Congressional District and the nation as a whole,” Lee said in a statement.

“Tomorrow, the hard work starts as we head toward the general election. I intend to focus on my record, my deep roots in the district and my vision for our future. I look forward to the general election, as we fight together for a second term and for the heart and future of our country.”

She now heads on to November, where, Democrats hope to put up a fight in the district. Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp filed to challenge Lee and won the Democratic nomination without opposition.

CD 15 remains arguably the most competitive seat in Florida represented by a Republican.

Lee in 2022 won 58.5% of the vote to Democrat Alan Cohn’s 41.5%, but Republicans overperformed throughout Florida in the Midterms. Just 50.86% of CD 15 voters under the new lines voted for Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 election, compared to 47.74% who supported Democrat Joe Biden.

During the Presidential Primary in March, the district had about 163,000 registered Republicans compared to 141,000 Democrats.

Heading into August, Lee had nearly $1.3 million in cash on hand for the race. She also had more than Kemp, who closed almost $152,000 in cash on hand ready, but the Democrat had more in the bank than Barbosa and Judge raised altogether. Judge closed July with $4,500 and Barbosa had only $2,100.

Lee’s win shows the Republicans in her home district have stood by her as she seeks a second term, months after she won back over the titular head of her party in Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.

That’s a turnaround from just a few months ago. Trump startled the political world with a Truth Social post in March calling for a Primary challenge to Lee. Less than three months later, he reversed course and backed the incumbent in person on Capitol Hill. But in the meantime, his call inspired two Republicans to challenge Lee in a GOP Primary.

Barbosa and Judge, two Republicans who previously planned to challenge incumbents before in other districts, qualified in April in Florida’s 15th Congressional District.

Lee said any tension with the party’s conservative flank is old news. Since she secured Trump’s formal endorsement, she made clear her plans to be a loyal partner if both are elected to new terms in Washington.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have President Trump’s endorsement,” she posted on X. “When he is elected in November, I vow to work alongside him as an America-first conservative to reverse the policies of the Biden administration, including the crisis at our southern border.”

But neither of Lee’s opponents backed off their challenge, even after Trump shifted course.

“The energy to unseat Lee after Trump endorsed her is still here because it existed before Trump expressed his dismay with her,” Barbosa said.

“My campaign was never rooted in Trump. It is rooted in unseating a Congresswoman who runs as America First but votes repeatedly with far left Democrats. She has a 66% rating from the Club For Growth, which rates fiscal conservatism, because she votes YES on every trillion dollar spending bill. I will vote NO. We need to stop funding corrupt Democrat policies, like DEI, which are contained in those bills.”

Judge maintained he will be a better representative for constituents in the district.

“I am a Christian, unapologetic conservative Republican and the only military veteran in this race,” he posted on social media.

Judge, prior to Trump’s call, intended to challenge U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, two years after an unsuccessful challenge to U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat. That makes Lee the third sitting U.S. Representative he filed against in as many years.

Barbosa also has a history of challenging incumbents. The Plant City resident in 2020 made a long-shot run against U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat now considered a front-runner for a U.S. Senate seat in the Golden State. Barbosa in 2020 pulled just 6% of the vote.

Lee, even when at odds with Trump, remained in the good graces of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which depends on incumbents from Primary challenges. The Washington organization has kept at eye on the race, but after qualifying week signaled little concern when only candidates who last ran outside the district filed.

Before her election to Congress, Lee served as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Secretary of State, and Gov. Rick Scott previously appointed her as a Circuit Judge in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit. She worked as a prosecutor before that.

And for years, Lee’s family remained based in Thonotosassa even as she led Florida’s State Department based in Tallahassee. Her husband, former Florida Senate President Tom Lee, represented east Hillsborough in the Florida Senate for years.

The chief attacks leveled against Lee involved her voting record — and sometimes a lack thereof. Barbosa hammered Lee for missing a vote this Summer on holding U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt. Lee’s Office noted she missed a series of votes that day for a medical need that required a visit to the doctor.

But Judge wanted to see Lee vote more conservatively. “It’s important to note my focus remains the same. I am running to end the anarchy at the southern border, restore law-and-order nationwide, balance the budget and pay down our national debt, something the Congresswoman has demonstrated she is adamantly against,” he said.