Winner:
Byron Donalds has won the race for the 19th Congressional District seat.
Donalds is heading to Washington after receiving 271,136 votes over Cindy Banyai's 171,318.
He is the first black Republican to hold the seat and will succeed Frances Rooney who is retiring.
Fox 4 is committed to helping you get to know the local candidates running for office.
Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat Dr. Cindy Banyai will face off for the 19th Congressional District seat.
What is the 19th Congressional District?
Located in Southwest Florida, the 19th Congressional District includes parts of Lee and Collier counties.
Republican Candidate:
Byron Donalds is in the race for the 19th Congressional District seat.
He secured the Republican nomination in the primary election for Congress.
This is after a fake message was sent out during the primary election that said he had withdrawn from the race.
Byron has experience working in the finance, insurance, and banking industries in Southwest Florida.
Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives from the 80th district in 2016, serving Hendry and part of Collier County.
RELATED STORIES: Byron Donalds enters race to replace outgoing Congressman Francis Rooney
Donalds says he's running for Congress "to fight back against the liberal extremism that is destroying this country and our American Dream."
He sat down with FOX 4 earlier this year for our "Coffee with Candidates" series.
Democrat Candidate:
Dr. Cindy Banyai is also in the race for the 19th Congressional District seat.
She secured the Democratic nomination in the primary election.
Since 2000, Dr. Banyai has worked in community development and is the founder and Principal Consultant of Banyai Evaluation and Consulting, LLC.
She also teaches students about American government and global issues at Florida Gulf Coast University.
In FOX 4's "Coffee with Candidates" series, she says she plans on bringing her working-class experience to Washington.
"I think what I really want people to know is that you have a champion in me. I am not bought and sold by companies I don't have big pacts running attack ads on my competitors," Dr. Banyai says.
"It is me. Grass root momma out here fighting for the regular people in our community.
