Former AG Nominee Matt Gaetz Teases a Run for Florida Gov Once DeSantis Leaves Office

Phillip NietoNov 23rd, 2024, 4:48 pm
 
Matt Gaetz

Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images

Former attorney general nominee and former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz floated the idea that he might run to be the next governor of Florida in 2026, after resigning from office and withdrawing his name from nomination this month.

Gaetz resigned from office after being nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Justice. However, after receiving pushback from multiple senators on Capitol Hill, Gaetz withdrew his name from nomination after Trump told him he did not have the votes to be confirmed.

Following his resignation, Gaetz revealed that he does not plan to return to Congress despite being reelected for another term during the 2024 election.

Gaetz “will be the next Governor of the State of Florida,” wrote former Florida House Rep. Anthony Sabatini in a post on X.

Gaetz then responded to the post by sending a GIF of the Florida state flag, suggesting he is open to the idea.

After being reelected in a landslide in 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will be ineligible to run for another term in the upcoming 2026 gubernatorial election and will leave office in January 2027.

Over the last few election cycles, Florida has become a solid red state as Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris by 13 points in 2024. If Gaetz receives the backing of Trump and other prominent Florida Republicans he could have a realistic shot of winning the party’s nomination.

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