GOP flips Florida congressional seats in sign of Dem struggles in southern tip of state

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Republicans ousted two Florida Democratic lawmakers from their seats in Tuesday's elections.

Florida Republican candidate Carlos Gimenez defeated freshman Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- the first flip of a House seat Tuesday night.

And then Republican Maria Elvira Salazar defeated freshman Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala.

Gimenez, the mayor of Miami-Dade County, flipped the seat from blue to red -- a sign of the Democratic Party's struggles in southern Florida. Mucarsel-Powell flipped the seat from red to blue during the 2018 midterm election.

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The district stretches from the Miami suburbs to Key West.

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Gimenez was helped by President Trump’s strong appeal to Cuban voters. Gimenez made restoring the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic one of his top campaign issues.

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Fox News could not yet project a winner in Florida for the presidential race.

Overall, Fox News projected Tuesday night that Democrats would maintain its majority in the House of Representatives. 

Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.