The GOP has a razor thing majority. They need every seat they can get.
And now Republicans lost a key Congressman that could sway everything.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz announced Friday that he will not return to Congress next year, despite his landslide re-election victory earlier this month.
“I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz, 42, said during an interview on The Charlie Kirk Show on Real America’s Voice.
This was his first public appearance since withdrawing from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general.
“There are a number of fantastic Floridians who stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service,” Gaetz said, hinting at a continued role in public service from a “different perch.”
Reflecting on his decision to step away, he added, “I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress. I plan to be a big voice, but maybe not as an elected member of the government.”
Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives on Nov. 13, shortly after Trump announced him as his pick to lead the Justice Department.
However, he withdrew from consideration for the cabinet position after acknowledging that he couldn’t secure enough support from skeptical Republican senators.
His nomination faced roadblocks, partly due to an impending House Ethics Committee report into allegations against him, including claims of misconduct involving a minor, drug use, and bribery.
“If the things that the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell,” Gaetz told Kirk, dismissing the allegations as a Washington “smear” campaign.
He explained his decision to step aside was also influenced by the prolonged confirmation process, which he claimed was being deliberately delayed.
“The pace was just going to be too long,” Gaetz said, accusing his critics, allegedly “handpicked” by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, of dragging out the process.
Gaetz expressed confidence in Pam Bondi, Trump’s new choice for attorney general, calling her a “fantastic” pick to lead the Department of Justice.
Now, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis must schedule special elections to fill Gaetz’s vacated seat, as well as that of Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), who has been tapped to serve as Trump’s national security adviser.
DeSantis will also need to appoint a replacement for Sen. Marco Rubio, expected to step down next year to become Trump’s secretary of state.
While Gaetz did not disclose his next steps, he hinted at a broader mission.
He mentioned focusing on his family, particularly his wife, Ginger, and working to recruit “patriots” for Trump’s administration.
“I’ll be scouring for talent,” he said, emphasizing his ongoing commitment to advancing Trump’s agenda from outside the halls of Congress.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
