The shock announcement Tuesday afternoon that President-elect Donald Trump had tapped former Rep. Matt Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general has left a wide open question about who will replace him in Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced on Wednesday that Gaetz resigned from Congress, effective immediately, to speed up the process of filling the seat and protecting his very slim House majority.
Johnson will plot out a plan with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to fill the vacancy but must work within the roughly eight weeks required by Florida law to select the person who will succeed Gaetz’s former seat.
“So under Florida state law, there’s about an eight-week period to select and fill a vacancy, and so by doing so today, that allows me — I’ve already placed a call to Gov. DeSantis in Florida and said, ‘Let’s start the clock,’” Johnson told reporters.
DeSantis also announced on Thursday he would move quickly to begin proceedings for a special election.
“Congratulations to the Floridians being appointed to key positions in the Trump administration: Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Congressman Mike Waltz,” he wrote on X. “I’ve instructed Secretary of State Cord Byrd to formulate and announce a schedule for the upcoming special elections immediately.”
Byrd responded by claiming he would have the “schedule posted soon” and was working to ensure the special elections are “conducted as soon as possible.”
Gaetz’s nomination is far from guaranteed to pass through Senate confirmation after lawmakers across both political parties expressed skepticism.
Well-known for his unpopular antics, including leading the successful effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Gaetz has been scrutinized after the Department of Justice investigated him over sex trafficking allegations.
He has denied any wrongdoing, and the DOJ’s investigation ended without any charges being filed against him. Gaetz’s resignation could, but not definitively, block a separate House Ethics Committee report on the allegations from being released, although some senators have said they want to see the report before a confirmation vote.
“I think there should not be any limitations on the Judiciary Committee’s investigation, including whatever the House Ethics Committee generated,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).
There are plenty of options for who could represent the solidly Republican-leaning and pro-Trump 1st congressional District in Florida.
State Rep. Michelle Salzman said she would consider throwing her hat into the race in an X post on Wednesday.
“I must admit my phone has really been blowing up with texts and calls from many I respect since Congressman Gaetz was announced as President Trump’s pick for Attorney General,” she wrote. “I am going to weigh my options and seriously consider it.”
She traveled to Iowa ahead of the state’s caucuses in January, where she tried to convince Trump supporters to back the Florida governor. Salzman has also expressed past hesitancy to walking in lockstep with the president-elect.
“Michelle Salzman was a big Desantis surrogate and was somewhat of a holdout even after Iowa,” a Florida political operative, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said. “And has said herself that this is not a cult of personality and that she is not going to be in lockstep with President Trump 100% of the time. Electing Michelle would be like bringing back Joe Scarborough to replace Matt Gaetz — just doesn’t make sense.”
James Uthmeier, DeSantis’s chief of staff, could also be considered for the role, although Uthmeier could also be tapped to fill the vacancy left by Trump tapping Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his nominee for secretary of state. (Trump also nominated Florida GOP Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security adviser.)
Other notable names in the race include state Reps. Shane Abbott, Alex Andrade, and Joel Rudman.
“Rudman is also a die hard Trump guy, he’s one of the few that are not afraid or ashamed to tell you that the 2020 election was indeed stolen from Donald Trump,” the political operative said. “He wants mass deportation no matter the cost and the deep state dismantled. He would be a yes vote for Donald Trump 100% of the time.”
Former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, father of the Florida congressman, could fill the vacancy and possibly cede the seat back to his son if he fails to get Senate confirmation as attorney general and wants to rejoin Congress.
Former Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and current Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves are other alternative options who some insiders think could also run for the 1st district, which encompasses the Florida Panhandle and is anchored in Pensacola.
Cami Mondeaux and Samanatha-Jo Roth contributed to this report.