When Tommy walked into Jeff's house carrying two solid balls he had personally picked out from the sporting goods store, everyone at Jeff's place was still immersed in the celebration. Eliana Leti's reputation had suffered greatly due to her involvement in the Cuban terrorist bombing case and the illegal immigrant drowning case. To preserve what little support and bargaining chips she had left, she ultimately announced her withdrawal from the special election in the Eighteenth District.
The Republican National Committee and the Republican Committee of Florida expressed respect for Eliana Leti's decision, while the Democratic Committee of Florida and Rona Kennedy, a Cuban-American woman who the media had once envisioned competing against Eliana Leti in the final election, both expressed regret over Eliana Leti's decision to drop out.