According to reports, Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz intends to run for governor in 2026. While he has dubbed these reports “clickbait,” he has not denied them.
The fourth-term congressman is “widely expected” to run for governor of his native state in two years, as reported by NBC News on Monday.
The No. 2 Republican presidential candidate in 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, cannot seek for a third term.
After decades as a battleground state, DeSantis’ re-election victory last autumn has led many political analysts to dub the state a Republican fortress.
According to NBC News, Gaetz’s potential run for governor has become a significant topic of discourse within the state’s political circles.
“Gaetz has long been considered on the shortlist of those who will try to seek the Republican nomination for governor, a field that is expected to be crowded because the incumbent, Ron DeSantis, will be facing term limits,” the outlet said. “DeSantis is currently running for president but would have two years remaining in the governor’s mansion if that run falls short.”
Four people at an event in Tallahassee on Saturday said Gaetz “strongly implied several times he would be running for governor,” NBC News reported.
One person described as a lobbyist told the outlet, “There was a lot of talk about it at the reception last night, and Gaetz was telling people to basically expect him to be in.”
Another said, “He’s 100 percent in. … I think Gaetz is an instant front-runner and from what I hear he’s already won the Trump primary” — meaning former President Donald Trump will endorse him.
In a statement to NBC News, Gaetz stated that his primary objective is to return Trump to the White House in the autumn.
“Many did encourage me to consider running for governor one day,” he said. “But we have an outstanding governor who will be in that position through 2026.”
Insider questioned Gaetz on Monday evening about the speculation surrounding a prospective gubernatorial run.
He did not rule out a bid for office, but he told the outlet, “The NBC story is overblown clickbait.”
Moreover, source reported Gaetz stated that “dozens” of state legislators had urged him “relentlessly” to run.
He also criticized Florida Republican Representative Byron Donalds, who is reportedly working on a resolution to prevent a government closure later this month.
“I wasn’t focused on any of that [gubernatorial] talk, though,” Gaetz said. “My sole mission right now is to kill the Donalds CR that funds Ukraine, Jack Smith, and a weaponized Biden government.”
Gaetz was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and has sailed to re-election in three consecutive elections in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, which includes much of the state’s Panhandle.