BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Catalina Lauf is seeking a political comeback in Southwest Florida, joining a crowded Republican field competing for the congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.
Lauf, a former Trump administration official who previously ran for Congress in Illinois, is now a Republican candidate in Florida’s 19th Congressional District, which covers portions of Lee and Collier counties.
Florida Division of Elections records show Lauf filed for the seat April 1 and qualified June 8 after paying the qualifying fee.
With Florida’s Aug. 18 Republican primary approaching, Lauf has emerged as one of the candidates attracting attention in a race featuring several well-known political figures and significant campaign spending.
From Illinois Politics to Southwest Florida
Lauf first gained national political attention in 2019 when she launched a campaign for Congress in Illinois.
Born and raised in Illinois, Lauf has frequently highlighted her family background, including her Guatemalan-American heritage and experience growing up around small businesses.
Before entering electoral politics, Lauf served as a special adviser at the U.S. Department of Commerce during President Donald Trump’s first administration.
Her Trump administration experience became a central part of her political biography when she launched her first congressional campaign.
Lauf ran in the Republican primary for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District in 2020 but did not win the nomination.
She returned to the campaign trail in 2022 and won a six-candidate Republican primary for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District with about 31% of the vote.
Lauf advanced to the general election against Democratic Rep. Bill Foster, who ultimately defeated her. Official Illinois election results show Foster received 149,172 votes to Lauf’s 115,069.
Lauf has since established her campaign in Southwest Florida and lists Bonita Springs as her Florida address in state and federal election records.
Lauf Enters Florida’s Crowded 19th District Race
Lauf is now seeking the Republican nomination in Florida’s 19th Congressional District, an open Southwest Florida seat that includes portions of Lee and Collier counties.
The seat is open because Donalds is running for governor rather than seeking another term in Congress.
The Republican primary has attracted a crowded field, increasing the possibility that the nomination could be won with a relatively small plurality of the vote.
Because Florida does not require a runoff in congressional primaries, the Republican candidate receiving the most votes Aug. 18 will win the nomination even without securing a majority.
Poll Shows Lauf Gaining Ground
Lauf has shown signs of gaining support as the primary enters its final stretch.
A recent poll covered by The Florida Pundit showed Lauf climbing from about 5% support in June to nearly 19%, putting her in a statistical dead heat with businessman Jim Schwartzel.
Approximately one-quarter of Republican voters surveyed remained undecided, leaving significant room for movement heading into the final days before the Aug. 18 primary.
RELATED: New Poll Shows Catalina Lauf Surging Into Dead Heat With Jim Schwartzel in Florida CD-19
The polling movement gives Lauf an opportunity to distinguish herself in a field where several candidates have significant name recognition, political experience or personal resources.
Freedom Caucus Fund Backs Lauf
Lauf added another conservative endorsement in the closing days of the primary when she announced Aug. 10 that she had received the backing of the Freedom Caucus Fund.
In its endorsement statement, the organization pointed to Lauf’s service in the Trump administration, private-sector experience and support for Trump’s America First agenda.
The Freedom Caucus Fund said Lauf would focus on border security, fiscal restraint and conservative leadership in Congress and urged Republican voters in Lee and Collier counties to support her in the Aug. 18 primary.
The organization supports conservative candidates for federal office and has backed a number of prominent Republican members of Congress during the 2026 election cycle.
As of Aug. 11, the Freedom Caucus Fund’s online endorsement archive had not yet been updated to include Lauf, although Lauf publicly announced the endorsement a day earlier.
Lauf Builds Conservative Endorsement List
The Freedom Caucus Fund endorsement adds to a list of conservative elected officials and organizations backing Lauf.
Her campaign lists Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida among her most prominent supporters.
Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana has also endorsed Lauf, citing her support for Trump, border enforcement and law-and-order policies.
Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah is another congressional supporter listed by Lauf’s campaign.
Lauf’s campaign also lists support from MAHA Action, Associated Builders and Contractors’ Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, Veterans for America First, College Republicans, GatorPAC and Tomorrow’s Patriots PAC.
The endorsements give Lauf recognizable conservative validators as she attempts to break through a crowded Republican field during the final week of the campaign.
Lauf Campaign Reports Nearly $1.5 Million in Receipts
Lauf has also assembled a substantial campaign war chest.
Federal Election Commission records show Catalina Lauf for Congress reported approximately $1.48 million in total receipts from Oct. 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Of that amount, approximately $1.39 million came from contributions, including roughly $1.39 million from individual donors.
The campaign reported approximately $931,578 in total disbursements during the same period and ended June with about $547,230 cash on hand, according to the FEC.
The committee reported no candidate loans or candidate contributions during that reporting period.
Those resources could prove important during the final days of a primary where candidates are competing for television, digital and direct-mail exposure across Southwest Florida.
What Does Catalina Lauf Campaign On?
Lauf has positioned herself as an America First conservative and frequently emphasizes her previous service in the Trump administration.
Her campaign highlights border security, reducing federal spending and regulation, protecting constitutional rights and promoting conservative economic policies.
Lauf has also emphasized entrepreneurship and private-sector experience as part of her argument for bringing a new generation of Republican leadership to Washington.
Her business background includes co-founding Begin Health, a company focused on children’s nutrition and digestive health.
Supporters have sought to distinguish Lauf from more traditional political candidates by emphasizing that combination of Trump administration and private-sector experience.
Her Illinois Political Past
Lauf’s transition from Illinois politics to a congressional campaign in Southwest Florida could also provide an opening for opponents.
She previously sought federal office twice in Illinois before becoming a candidate in Florida.
Her first congressional campaign ended in the 2020 Republican primary. Two years later, she successfully captured the Republican nomination in Illinois’ 11th District before losing the general election to Foster.
Questions about candidates’ connections to Southwest Florida could become more prominent as voters examine the crowded CD-19 field.
Lauf’s Florida candidacy, however, is formally established. State election records list her as a qualified Republican candidate for District 19, while her federal campaign filings list a Bonita Springs address.
What Happens Next
Republican voters will decide the nomination on Aug. 18.
The winner will advance to the Nov. 3 general election in the Republican-leaning Southwest Florida district.
For Lauf, the closing days of the campaign represent an opportunity to convert increased polling support, campaign fundraising and a growing list of conservative endorsements into votes.
Her candidacy also represents another attempt to reach Congress after two campaigns in Illinois — this time in a Republican-leaning Southwest Florida district where the departure of Donalds has created one of the state’s most crowded congressional primaries.
Whether Lauf’s late momentum is enough to separate her from the field will be decided at the ballot box.
Sources
FEC-Catalina Lauf for Congress
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