Matt Gaetz, who resigned from his seat in the 118th Congress to pursue the position of U.S. attorney general, has been the subject of speculation regarding a potential return to his former seat in the 119th Congress after just winning reelection earlier this month. Within 24 hours, Gaetz announced he had made his decision.
The 42-year-old firebrand conservative withdrew his nomination for attorney general amid intense criticism that jeopardized his chances of surviving a U.S. Senate confirmation. His departure from the 118th Congress coincided with news that the House Ethics Committee had deadlocked on whether to release a report containing testimony from female witnesses alleging involvement in underage sexual encounters with the four-term congressman. A return to office could have prompted the report’s release—an outcome that may have influenced Gaetz’s decision not to go back to the House.
“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” he told Charlie Kirk in an interview, CNN reported. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who’ve stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service. And I’m actually excited to see Northwest Florida go to new heights and have great representation.” He added: “I’m going to be fighting for President Trump. I’m going to be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have. But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.”
First elected in 2016, the Florida congressman quickly became a fierce partisan fighter during the Trump administration, frequently targeting fellow Republicans whom he accused of failing to aggressively champion the MAGA agenda. His combative tactics often drew backlash from colleagues within the GOP caucus, but his approach helped open the door for other pro-Trump figures, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who joined Congress in 2021. While Gaetz’s next move remains uncertain, he is widely expected to maintain significant influence during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
Those close to Gaetz believe his ultimate ambition is to run for Florida governor, a seat that may open in 2026. Governor Ron DeSantis now faces the task of appointing a U.S. senator to replace Sen. Marco Rubio, who President-elect Donald Trump nominated to serve as secretary of state. Speculation has even surfaced that DeSantis might appoint himself to the Senate seat, positioning him on the national stage ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Gaetz could emerge as a frontrunner in what is expected to be a highly competitive Republican primary for Florida’s governorship.
ABC’s legal team took swift action on Tuesday after co-hosts on “The View” made a series of potentially slanderous statements about Gaetz and the sexual misconduct allegations against him. Sunny Hostin, considered the most left-leaning among the liberal co-hosts, read a “legal note” handed to her by producers during the broadcast. The note clarified that Matt Gaetz had been cleared of wrongdoing by the Biden Justice Department. Hostin, appearing stone-faced, looked directly into the camera and read from a teleprompter—a precaution likely implemented by ABC’s legal team to ensure the disclaimer was delivered without any personal commentary.
“Matt Gaetz has long denied all allegations, calling the claims ‘invented’ and saying in a statement to ABC News that ‘this false smear following a three-year criminal investigation should be viewed with great skepticism.’ The DOJ investigation was closed with no charges being brought.” Whoopi Goldberg then quickly took the show to commercial break.
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