The political future of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is uncertain after he announced he would withdraw his name from the Trump administration’s run for attorney general.
Gaetz has come under intense scrutiny for past investigations by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the House Ethics Committee. The DOJ was investigating Gaetz as part of a broader sex trafficking investigation, including charges involving underage girls, but declined to file charges. Gaetz has strongly denied these accusations. The former lawmaker was also the subject of an investigation by the House Ethics Committee on charges of sexual harassment and drug use.
“While the trends are strong, it is clear that my confirmation is unfairly distracting from the important work of the Trump/Vance transition,” Gaetz wrote on the social platform X.
Here are five possibilities for what’s next for Gaetz:
Another role for the Trump administration
Although Gaetz withdrew from his bid for attorney general, Trump could have appointed him to an executive branch position in the White House or elsewhere and would not require a Senate confirmation hearing.
By selecting Gaetz, Trump will have a high-profile defender in his administration without having to go through a messy confirmation process. Senate Republicans warned that a confirmation hearing for Gaetz would be like “Kavanaugh on steroids,” referring to the 2018 hearings for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
If Gaetz were to take on another role in the Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would have to set a date for a special election for Gaetz’s seat in the state’s 1st Congressional District.
DeSantis has already directed the secretary of state to set a schedule for the special election, but the date has not yet been set. The first district is a red seat and will likely have a competitive Republican primary. A number of Republicans have already lined up to run in the special election for Gaetz’s seat.
governor run
Gaetz has been one of several Republicans floated to run for governor when DeSantis’ term ends in 2026.
But Gaetz’s gubernatorial run comes with its own challenges.
“Gaetz is damaged goods, so donors should get in line behind everyone else,” said Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor who lives in Florida.
“Now it’s time for Gaetz to practice law,” he added.
But a run for governor could spell trouble for Gaetz, who is still on Capitol Hill. One House Republican, who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic, said he would likely continue to demand more information about the allegations against Gaetz, including an ethics report.
“If he runs for governor, everyone seems to think he will run. If not this report, I think at least some information should come out because people need to know who they are. They are holding elections,” the lawmaker said.
Reps. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) have also been nominated, but with Waltz appointed as Trump’s national security adviser, Gaetz will likely face Donalds in the primary.
“The person best suited to be the next governor of Florida right now is Byron Donalds,” said Ford O’Connell, a Florida-based Republican strategist.
Return to Parliament House
Gaetz resigned his seat in the current 118th Congress, but his resignation letter leaves room for him to return for the 119th Congress, which begins Jan. 3, after Gaetz is re-elected.
“I do not intend to take the oath of office in the 119th Congress to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump administration,” Gaetz wrote in the letter.
Now that he is no longer attorney general, his intentions may change.
It’s unclear whether Gaetz will be able to return unilaterally, but some congressional sources believe he could. Otherwise, Gaetz easily won re-election and will likely win the special election as well.
Of course, Gaetz may not want to return to the House. His wife, Ginger Gaetz, reposted his statement on the attorney general’s withdrawal, along with a photo of the two of them on the steps of the Capitol with the caption “The end of an era.”
Joining the House means the House Ethics Committee will again have jurisdiction over it, and it also means nullifying difficult questions about whether it is appropriate to release a report on a former member of Congress. The panel investigated Gaetz for years amid allegations of sexual harassment, illegal drug use and other issues. Gaetz has strongly denied the allegations, and the Justice Department declined to indict him after investigating the matter.
Some House Republicans don’t want to see Gaetz, who threw the House into chaos by voting to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), back in Congress.
“No one wants him back.” one House Republican told The Hill with a laugh. “I think he can be sworn in. I mean he was elected in his own district. He has every right. So I don’t think we can stop him. “But I’m sure he wasn’t loved.”
“Collective expulsion of many center-right lawmakers!” Another House Republican spoke to The Hill in reaction to Gaetz’s departure.
media career
There are several paths Gaetz could pursue in government and politics, but the Florida Republican could also pursue a career in media, where he already has experience.
Gaetz has been an active defender of Trump for several years, appearing regularly on television and other media.
In 2021, Gaetz launched his own show, the “Firebrand” podcast. According to the show description, he “gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the swamps of Washington without the influence of fake news and the Deep State.” According to YouTube, he recently released his 173rd episode.
Gaetz occasionally found himself sitting at the anchor desk of other conservative outlets. He guest-hosted former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast and was a surrogate host for Newsmax.
Discussing the attorney general appointment, Newsmax host Greg Kelly noted the time the Florida Republican has been holding down the fort for the network show.
“Matt Gaetz is a special person. He is incredibly smart, eloquent, bold and fearless. He is also an occasional host of the program. “I’m not kidding.” Kelly said. “Aren’t we honored to have given him his start? no. Matt Gaetz serves us here at Newsmax and heaped praise on us. And he knows his stuff when he’s out in the swamp.”
One person who watches the media closely is predicting that Gaetz will land on the Newsmax anchor desk when all is said and done.
“I think Matt Gaetz is going to end up being a Newsmax host,” Aaron Rupar wrote for X.
Senate Appointment
Shortly after Gaetz withdrew his name to become attorney general, some raised the possibility that Gaetz could fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) seat in the Senate after Rubio is confirmed as secretary of state.
The two are former House colleagues, and Gaetz helped DeSantis prepare for the debate when he first ran for governor in 2018.
However, the two took different positions in the 2024 primary election. Gaetz supported Trump in last year’s Republican presidential primary, shortly before DeSantis challenged him.
The decision on who will fill Rubio’s seat lies with DeSantis, and Gaetz is not one of the names that have been floated for the position. DeSantis is reportedly considering Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, State Lieutenant Governor Jeannette Nunez, and State Attorney General Ashley Moody.
The president-elect’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has been mentioned by a number of prominent lawmakers and has expressed interest in the position. The scenario of DeSantis appointing her to the Senate could be seen as an olive branch to the president-elect.
There will be another opportunity in the Senate in 2026, when there will be a special election for Rubio’s seat, but that scenario is likely to present the same challenges as a statewide gubernatorial run.
Asked about the possibility of Gaetz running for Senate, Eberhart said, “He’s toxic for the same reason.” “If he wants to come back in, he’ll have to run himself.”
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