JUST IN: Matt Gaetz Reveals Whether He Will Serve In 119th Congress
Matt Gaetz, who resigned his seat in the 118th Congress to seek the job of U.S. attorney general, has been the source of speculation about whether he will return to his old seat in the 119th Congress. In less than 24 hours, he stated he has reached his decision.
Gaetz, 42, withdrew his nomination following a withering storm of criticism threatening his ability to survive a U.S. Senate confirmation, leaving observers wondering about the firebrand conservative’s next steps. His exit from the 118th Congress was followed by an announcement that the House Ethics Committee deadlocked on making public a report that included testimony from female witnesses who say they saw or participated in underage sex with the four-term congressman. However, returning to office could have precipitated its release, an outcome that may have factored into his decision to not return.
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“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” he told Charlie Kirk in an interview, CNN reported. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who’ve stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service. And I’m actually excited to see Northwest Florida go to new heights and have great representation.” He added: “I’m going to be fighting for President Trump. I’m going to be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have. But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.”
First elected in 2016, the Florida politician became a bare-knuckled partisan brawler under the first Trump administration, castigating fellow Republicans he accused of not joining him in a more forceful push to implement the MAGA agenda. His tactics drew the ire of colleagues in the Republican caucus, but his path paved the way for other pro-Trump voices to enter the fray such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who was first elected in 2021. Where Gaetz goes next is unclear, but it’s expected that he will still play an outsize role in President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
Those who know Gaetz say his heart is set on the state’s governorship, a seat that may be open in 2026. Gov. Ron DeSantis is now tasked with appointing a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Marco Rubio, whom Trump nominated for secretary of state, a decision that could even see the former presidential candidate appoint himself if he wants a national platform ahead of the 2028 presidential election. If DeSantis did not seek reelection, Gaetz would immediately rise to the top of what’s expected to be a crowded Republican primary for the Sunshine State’s corner office.
On Thursday President-elect Trump announced that he has nominated former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to seek the U.S. attorney general seat, a pick that already has liberals apoplectic about the prospect of a credentialed and conservative prosecutor helming the Justice Department. As Florida’s top cop, she vigorously defended Republican priorities as well as those of Gov. DeSantis, including the removal of “woke” curriculum from public schools.
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