James Uthmeier backs Scott Singer in crowded CD 25 Republican primary

The Republican Primary in Florida’s newly drawn 25th Congressional District just gained another marquee endorsement. Attorney General James Uthmeier threw his support behind former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer this week, giving Singer a statewide name in a contest crowded with GOP contenders.

“@ScottSingerUSA is a proven conservative. As Mayor of Boca Raton, he consistently fought to lower taxes, support small businesses, and stand strong behind law enforcement. We need solid leaders in Congress who will fight for the Free State of Florida, and he has my endorsement,” Uthmeier wrote on X.

Singer answered in kind. “Honored and truly humbled that our Attorney General, James Uthmeier, a great leader and fighter for justice has endorsed me for Congress,” Singer wrote.

The endorsement lands in one of the most contested GOP Primaries in the state. Singer is running against former state Rep. George Moraitis, the party’s 2024 nominee in the former CD 23, Joe Kaufman, Daniel Franzese, and Raven Harrison ahead of the Aug. 18 Primary. Claudia Villatoro suspended her campaign this week.

CD 25 exists in its current form because of the mid-decade map Republicans pushed through during a Special Session in late April, drawn by Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ Office to favor the GOP and signed by DeSantis in May. The redraw stretched the seat from Delray Beach in Palm Beach County, through Broward, and into Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County — territory President Donald Trump carried by 9 points in 2024. Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the seat from “Safe Democratic” to “Toss-up,” and the new lines face ongoing legal challenges.

The redraw rippled well beyond CD 25. In the neighboring, newly drawn CD 22 — the seat Byron Donalds is vacating to run for Governor — Keiser University Vice Chancellor Belinda Keiser has rolled out a slate of congressional endorsements, with supporters pointing to a decades-long record of creating jobs and expanding workforce education across the state.

Back in the CD 25 contest, Singer and Moraitis both pivoted to the seat after the boundaries shifted, having originally filed in CD 23. A Beacon Insights poll in early May found Singer trailing on his home turf, while Moraitis ran closer to the likely Democratic nominee — a reminder of how unsettled the Republican field remains as the endorsements pile up.

That Democrat is Jared Moskowitz, the two-term incumbent who launched his CD 25 re-election bid rather than retire after redistricting reshaped his seat. Moskowitz faces Democratic Socialist Oliver Larkin in his own Primary and closed the first quarter with roughly $1.2 million on hand. The General Election is Nov. 3.

Uthmeier, himself endorsed by Trump for a full term, has been active in congressional Primaries this cycle, including a recent nod to Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power in CD 2.

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— Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.