Just when you thought you might be clear of Matt Gaetz news for a while, the former Florida Congressman goes out and announces that he is probably going to run for governor of the Sunshine State in 2026.
Gaetz told the Tampa Bay Times on Tuesday that he is “starting to think about running for governor,” which, to my mind, suggests he’s all but sure to run.
For regular readers of my content, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise! I have been telling you for months now that Gaetz has his eye on the Florida governor’s mansion. And that even the damning report from the House Ethics Committee on Gaetz’s alleged drug use and behavior with women wouldn’t derail those ambitions.
Gaetz made clear during the interview with the Times how he will handle the Committee report, which concluded that there was “substantial evidence” that the former Congressman paid women for sex and used illegal drugs.
“Those lies have been told about me for years,” Gaetz said. “They’ve never affected my ability to win elections.”
He’s not wrong! Gaetz swamped a GOP challenger backed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last fall even as these whispers of his conduct as a Member of Congress swirled.
Given Gaetz’s prominence in the MAGA movement and his likely ability to raise tens of millions of dollars for the race, I think he has to be considered the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for governor in 2026. (Gov. Ron DeSantis is term limited.)
Gaetz’s timing in going public with his interest in the gubernatorial race is entirely purposeful. DeSantis is expected to announce his pick to fill the likely vacant Senate seat of Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio in the coming days. Gaetz wants to make clear to all ambitious Republicans in the state where his interests lie — and that if they want to be governor they are going to have to beat him for it.
DeSantis said Tuesday that “we've done a lot of research on candidates” but wouldn’t offer any hints on the timing or identity of his Senate pick. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is seen as the favorite to get DeSantis’ nod.
If she is the pick, that would take Moody off the board as a potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate. Among the names, other than Gaetz, mentioned for that race are state Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.
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Drain the SWAMP.
Well, by using the Peter Principle.
"The Peter Principle states that an employee continues to receive promotions to work in higher ranks up to that point where he reaches a level of incompetence. In simple terms, the higher the hierarchy ladder an individual goes, the more likely he is to fail in his new position."
In Matt's case, his frequent use of his PETER (pardon the dick joke) is rising him to the occasion and he will go as far and deep into MAGA until it is too late for him to pull out. You are only allowed ONE pull-out per career, and Matt got away with that one with nary a scratch on his unit.
At that point, it is a matter of Electus Interuptus and we find ourselves with the sleaziest governor of the sleaziest state that the sleaziest president comes from.
Family Values MY ass America.
But don't forget, Kamala was a very bad lady. Can't vote for her, She once had an affair with a black man! I bet they had sex. Oh no. Really, they did it. Well she is totally disqualified for higher office!
Also she married a white man, who is a JEW! Mixed marriage. Can't have that. And I bet she never really worked at McDonald's.
Of course pedophile Gaetz is going to run for Gov of Fl.
Of course pedophile Gaetz is going to win that election.
Him being a scummy, pedophile, lying sack of shit, nincompoop (he literally knows nothing about any policy or governing and does not care) are all positives in today's Trump infested GOP Cult.
I’m just being honest, but Matt Gaetz likely running for governor of Florida in 2026 is pretty far down the list of things I’m worrying about right now.
Why would anyone vote for this guy?
Sadly, he would probably win. Gaetz picked the perfect time in our country's history to be a sleazeball politician and take advantage of it.
As a resident of FL, God help us if he runs or wins a race for any public role. He needs to crawl into a hole and go away for good.
From everything I've ever read, Casey DeSantis has the real political chops in the family so I'd like to see her run. Assuming no unknown skeletons in her closet, I'd think she'd wipe the floor with him but maybe that's wishful thinking.
she has shitty judgement...she married a lifts in my shoes and pudding on my finger's putz
Nepo-wife much? Oh, or person of totally unqualified character, getting where he got on his father’s coattails? Either one is following the trump mode. Really, are those the two best Republicans in the state?
If Floridians elect this guy as Governor, they will get what they deserve.
Florida has gone so far off the rails from when I worked for Bill Young 👀
Hell as recently as 2016, David Jolly was on track for the GOP Senate nomination!!
Wasn't Connie Mack III or IV or something a FL Senator once?
Oh the GunShine State… sorry.
Of Sodom or Gomorrah?
Time was when a sex scandal, especially one involving minors, ended political careers. Now we have an adjudicated sexual assaulter in the White House, and one nominated for Secretary of Defense and another for Secretary of HHS. Gaetz was unpopular with his colleagues for reasons other than his perversions. Seems that today, with GOP voters, sexual improprieties are a prerequisite for nomination. Florida handily voted for Trump, so why not Gaetz? If Dems think character matters all that much these days, they are mistaken. It will take more than a pervert running on the GOP ticket for the Blue team to make any headway.
Moved to Florida 3 yrs ago and I can tell you that the ethics report will be a badge of honor for Gaetz.....he will be a "shoe-in" if he decides to run. Fortunately I have found a community of like minded Dems in the Sarasota area trying to turn the area "blue".
Of course Matt Gaetz will win. No question. Another subject - On my iPad, your speech is so slow it sounds as though you’re drunk. Why is that?
No fan of gaetz but i think youre right: the likely front-runner who’ll have access to plenty of cash, maga energy, and an odd type of personal resilience that allows him to sustain wins. Moreover, in assessing the impact of devastating ethics report, those planning his race will have to count on the broad-brush, tried and true “youthful indiscretions” answer upon which to pivot forward in any campaign narrative and dialogue. Yes, he was in his late 20s and 30’s when much of these transgressions occurred. But one key walkaway from my campaign work is the surprisingly wide latitude voters provide to those admit they screwed up and have “changed” for this or that reason — and offer proof of such. Americans are enormously forgiving people. Bill Clinton and countless others have overcome sordid tales of depravity — primarily because they had uncommon resiliency and a strong message and rationale for candidacy. From watching his tenure in DC, Gaetz seems like the type of guy who has the skill and capacity to overcome these image problems by shamelessly moving full steam ahead as a ‘changed man’… we shall see
I guess nothing with M A G A politicians should surprise us. New room to record or just rearranged desk 😊
The Republicans in Florida can't find anyone better than Gaetz, Donald's or Casey Desantis? Geez.
"Moralness" - really?
I don’t think Gaetz can win statewide. I’m reminded that David Vitter, who had milder sex scandals, lost when he ran for governor
Voters hold governors to higher standards and are more open to crossover voting