Republican David Jolly Florida win boosts hopes for mid-term elections

Republican candidate David Jolly has won a special Congressional election in Florida in a victory that will energise his party.

Mr Jolly, a former lobbyist, secured 48.5 per cent of the vote against 46.6 per cent for Democratic challenger Alex Sink.

The election was caused by the death in October of Bill Young, who had been the longest serving Republican in the House of Representatives.

Republican strategists claimed last night’s win in the 13th Congressional District of Florida was down to Ms Sink’s support for Obamacare, the President’s healthcare law, and said it would send “a loud warning for other Democrats running coast to coast”. The poll is also being seen as the opening salvo before November’s midterm elections, in which Barack Obama could lose the Senate. Having already lost the House to the Republicans it would leave the President a lame duck until he leaves office in 2016.

The 13th District in Florida, where voters are split fairly evenly, was exactly the kind of place the Democrats need to win if they want to retain their majority in the Senate or hope to regain control of the House.

The election was bitterly fought and saw outside political groups spend at least £5.4 million on mostly negative ads. Voters endured nearly 200 political commercials every day.

Speaking last night, Mr Jolly said: “Let’s dispense with the rancour and vitriol of the last five months.”