Congressman Matt Gaetz has floated the possibility of running for Marco Rubio’s vacated Senate seat.
Despite comfortably winning re-election, Gaetz has confirmed he will not be taking up his seat in Congress, raising speculation as to what his next move will be.
Addressing the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix on Sunday, Gaetz said he may launch a bid for the seat after Rubio was selected as Donald Trump’s Secretary of State.
“We have been asked which perch I will be fighting from next, and some of you throughout this conference have even given me a few suggestions,” Gaetz said.
“It seems I may not have had enough support in the United States Senate,” Gaetz said, referring to opposition in the upper chamber for his nomination as attorney general.”
“Maybe I’ll just run for Marco Rubio’s vacant seat in the United States Senate. Enjoyed some of those folks, and my friend Steve Bannon and others have suggested that I return to the House of Representatives on Jan. 3, but I would remind Steve when he got out of prison, he didn’t punch a guard on the way out.”
“For the moment, I’ll enjoy being one of you,” he continued. “It was [President] James Madison who said that the most powerful position in America would not be congressman or senator or even president, but that of citizen because we put such an obligation on the citizenry to ignite the patriotism that the country needs.”
BREAKING: Matt Gaetz says he might run for Senate in Florida.
pic.twitter.com/fuiyzpuwr2— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 22, 2024
It is not entirely clear whether Gaetz was referring to replacing Rubio in his current term or running in his seat when it next comes up for re-election in 2028.
Rubio’s decision to accept the role in the Trump administration means that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will have the opportunity to appoint a new senator.
Many had speculated that Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, maybe a good fit for the role, although she pulled herself out of contention this weekend.
“After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate,” she wrote on the X platform.
“I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our lifetime and I’m truly humbled by the unbelievable support shown to me by the people of our country, and here in the great state of Florida.”
After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate.
I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our… https://t.co/ARdvTQki9N
— Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) December 21, 2024
DeSantis, meanwhile, is expected to announce his appointment in early January.
