Republican Businessman Curt Clawson Wins Special Election To Replace Trey Radel

Republican Businessman Wins Special Election To Replace Radel
In a photo taken Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at the Capitol in Washington, Rep. Henry "Trey" Radel, a freshman Republican from Florida, joins Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and GOP leaders at a news conference following a GOP strategy session. Congressman Radel has been charged with cocaine possession and faces arraignment Wednesday in Washington, Nov. 20, 2013. Radel was elected in 2012 to represent Florida's 19th Congressional District, which includes the Gulf Coast communities of Fort Myers and Naples. He was a radio host before coming to Congress and identifies himself on his Twitter profile as a "Hip Hop conservative.â (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
In a photo taken Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at the Capitol in Washington, Rep. Henry "Trey" Radel, a freshman Republican from Florida, joins Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and GOP leaders at a news conference following a GOP strategy session. Congressman Radel has been charged with cocaine possession and faces arraignment Wednesday in Washington, Nov. 20, 2013. Radel was elected in 2012 to represent Florida's 19th Congressional District, which includes the Gulf Coast communities of Fort Myers and Naples. He was a radio host before coming to Congress and identifies himself on his Twitter profile as a "Hip Hop conservative.â (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Republican businessman Curt Clawson has won the special election to replace former Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.), the Associated Press reports.

Clawson easily defeated Democratic rival April Freeman in Tuesday's primary, in addition to Libertarian candidate Ray Netherwood.

Florida's 19th Congressional District, a largely Republican portion of southwest Florida, has not had representation since January, when Radel stepped down after pleading guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession.

Clawson, who is retired, largely funded his own campaign, giving him an edge over his Republican opponents during his April primary.

As Reuters noted earlier Tuesday, Clawson will have to vie for reelection in November.

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