Matt Gaetz Says He’s ‘Starting to Think About’ a New Run for Office

Florida Republicans might not want to toss out those “Elect Matt Gaetz” signs just yet.

The former member of the House, who was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to become attorney general but later withdrew after first resigning his House seat, has his eyes on the 2026 election for governor.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is prevented by term limits from seeking another term.

Gaetz said, he has not come to any decision but said he is “starting to think about running for governor,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Winning what is likely to be a hotly contested election would be a major comeback for Gaetz, who in November withdrew from consideration as attorney general after issues over his conduct and Senate hostility peaked.

“I was dealing with a politically motivated body. They didn’t like me because of what I did to Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said, according to CNN. “And they had an ax to grind. So that was going to serve as at least enough of a basis to delay my confirmation as attorney general.”

Then came the release of a House Ethics Committee report.

The report asserted that Gaetz “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him” between 2017 and 2020, including an incident during which he “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl.”

He also allegedly “used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy” on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2019, the report said.

The report claimed, Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.”

Gaetz said, the report’s allegations will not stop him from moving forward.

“Those lies have been told about me for years,” he said, per the Tampa Bay Times. “They’ve never affected my ability to win elections.”

“I have a compelling vision for the state,” Gaetz said. “I understand how to fix the insurance problem, and it’s not to hand the keys to the state over to the insurance industry. If I run, I would be the most pro-consumer candidate on the Republican side.”

Gaetz said, he will pray over his next step and speak to his wife, Ginger Gaetz.

As Gaetz considers his options while working as a host for One America News Network, others are making preliminary noises about running for governor.

On the Republican side, Rep. Byron Donalds is exploring a run, according to the Floridian Press.

On the Democratic side, state Sen. Jason Pizzo is considering a campaign to succeed DeSantis.

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