Donald Trump casts early vote in Florida and backs GOP candidates

Donald Trump cast his early ballot in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the legislative elections on Saturday, confirming to reporters that he voted straight down the Republican ticket before boarding a flight to Georgia for a campaign rally.

The president and first lady Melania Trump arrived together at their designated polling place following a morning spent at Trump’s nearby golf course. The appearance placed a high-profile spotlight on in-person early voting in a critical battleground state, though Trump has previously faced criticism for casting mail-in ballots despite his vocal, long-standing skepticism toward vote-by-mail procedures.

Straight-Ticket Voting and Florida Political Endorsements

When asked directly outside the West Palm Beach precinct whether he followed straight party lines on his ballot, Trump answered plainly: “Totalmente” (Totally).

Beyond his own ballot, Trump used the polling station stop to highlight key endorsements across Florida's midterm races. He has actively backed Representative Byron Donalds, who is running to succeed term-limited Ron DeSantis. Donalds faces a complex contest against David Jolly, a former Republican who shifted to independent before running as a Democrat. Trump has also campaigned for Ashley Moody, who is running to serve the remaining two years of the Senate term previously held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Moody faces progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon in that race.

Controversial Ads in Ohio and Senate Battles in Alaska

Stepping away from local Florida contests, Trump used his post-voting remarks to address contentious national campaign developments. He defended a controversial campaign advertisement released by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The ad drew intense backlash for featuring the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton. Acton lost custody of her children after her husband—the children’s stepfather—was formally charged with raping Acton when she was 12 years old.

Trump also defended his directive instructing legal teams to prepare a lawsuit aimed at blocking the certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race. That intervention is designed to counter potential defeat for Republican Dan Sullivan, which Trump’s camp fears could be triggered by the inclusion of a second ballot candidate who shares the exact name, Dan Sullivan.

Trump Discusses Iran War as Melania Negotiates Ceasefire

Shifting to international affairs during his remarks at the West Palm Beach polling station, Trump addressed the ongoing war involving Iran, declaring, “Maybe I have to finish it. Or maybe they’ll make a deal, but I’m not sure. Either way, we win.”

Reporters also questioned Melania Trump regarding her recent diplomatic efforts. Earlier in the week, the first lady negotiated a humanitarian ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky, a heavily devastated Ukrainian city currently under Moscow’s occupation. When asked by journalists if she planned to travel directly inside Ukraine, she responded simply, “We’ll see.”