OCALA, Fla. — Florida governor Ron DeSantis tore into newly elected Congressman Randy Fine at a press conference on Wednesday, blaming Fine’s so-called “unique problems” for the underwhelming turnout in Tuesday’s special election.

The Trump-endorsed Republican won over Democrat Josh Weil and secured the seat vacated by Congressman Mike Waltz by only 14 points, the smallest margin of victory for a Republican in Florida’s District 6 since Waltz’s victory in 2018. According to DeSantis, this margin is the result of Fine’s unsavory behavior.

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“I think you have a candidate in Randy Fine who, one, he’s a squish. ... Just the way [Fine] conducts himself... He repels people,” DeSantis said. “He’s repelled people in legislature.”

READ: WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis holds news conference with law enforcement in Ocala

DeSantis claimed that he nominated Fine for the role of president at Florida Atlantic University, just so they could remove Fine from legislature. But the bid fell through and, according to DeSantis, “the whole [Florida Atlantic] board would have resigned rather than make him president.”

DeSantis also argued that President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Fine was the only reason the candidate won the district at all, calling Trump’s move a “bailout” for Fine.

“These are voters who didn’t like Randy Fine,” said DeSantis, “but who basically are like, ‘You know what? We’re going to take one for the team. The president needs another vote up there, and so we’re going to do it.‘”

READ: Republicans win Florida special elections in Trump strongholds by narrower margins than in 2024

The feud between DeSantis and Fine stems back to 2023, when Fine rescinded his endorsement of DeSantis’s 2024 presidential campaign in favor of Trump’s. Fine defended his decision in a Washington Times op-ed, wherein he accused DeSantis of being complacent about rising antisemitism in Florida.

While not having responded publicly, Fine did take to X to give remarks about the governor’s remarks, writing: “A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. I’m focused on working with President Donald Trump to stop Democrats from taking this country backwards, not working with them. Let’s go.”

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