Matt Gaetz Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election to Congress

November 22, 2024 TruthUSA

The former Florida lawmaker was reelected on Nov. 5, but he announced that he will not be returning to Congress.

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz addressed speculation on Friday that he could rejoin the U.S. House after withdrawing his nomination as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for attorney general.

Gaetz shared in a social media post on Thursday that he decided to withdraw his name to avoid being a distraction for the Trump transition team, despite having positive meetings with senators.

The following day, he confirmed to podcaster and conservative activist Charlie Kirk that he will not be returning to the House of Representatives. Although Gaetz resigned from his current term, he was reelected on Nov. 5, leading to speculation about him completing his upcoming term.

“I will continue to be involved in the fight, but from a different perspective,” Gaetz stated on Friday. “I do not plan to rejoin the 119th Congress; there are several outstanding Floridians who have stepped up to run for my seat, individuals who have inspired many with their bravery and public service.”

“I am actually looking forward to seeing Northwest Florida reach new heights with excellent representation,” he added, referring to Florida’s First Congressional District that he formerly represented.

Considering historical data, it is unlikely for a Democratic candidate to win the First District. Gaetz won by a significant margin during his reelection, and the area has not been represented by a Democrat since 1995.

“I will continue to support President Trump in any way he requires, as I always have,” he told Kirk, reiterating a statement from his Thursday announcement. “But I believe that eight years in the United States Congress is sufficient.”

Gaetz expressed that he has served as a U.S. House representative for eight years, which he believes is an ample amount of time to be in Congress.

Aside from Gaetz, Trump has selected several other Florida politicians to join his Cabinet, such as Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser.

Shortly after Gaetz withdrew his nomination, Trump appointed Republican former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, also his former personal attorney, to assume the role of U.S. attorney general. In response, Gaetz stated on X that Bondi is an outstanding choice who will bring necessary reforms to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced a special election to fill the upcoming vacant congressional seats, and later mentioned he would make a decision in early January on who will complete Rubio’s term in the Senate.

There have been speculations driven by the media that Governor DeSantis, a Republican, might choose Gaetz as Rubio’s replacement, although no official statements have been made by the governor, Gaetz, or Rubio on this matter.

“We have already received strong interest from several potential candidates, and we are gathering more names for consideration while conducting initial vetting,” DeSantis mentioned in his statement regarding Rubio’s seat. “Further vetting and candidate interviews will be held in the upcoming weeks, with a decision likely to be made by the start of January.”

Before retracting his nomination, Gaetz had faced intense media scrutiny and congressional investigations over various allegations of misconduct during his time as a congressman. The House Ethics Committee revealed in 2021 that it was investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct, drug use, and additional issues.

Gaetz firmly denied these allegations, stating that the DOJ had confirmed that the related investigation was closed with no criminal charges brought against him.

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