Matt Gaetz Says He’s Not Returning to Congress Next Year

Then-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks during the Turning Point Action conference in West Palm Beach, Fla., on July 15, 2023. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz on Friday responded to speculation that he could return to the U.S. House after he withdrew his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for attorney general.

Gaetz on Thursday said in a social media post that he would be withdrawing his name because he does not want to become “a distraction” for the Trump transition team’s work, although he had “excellent meetings” with senators, he said.

A day later, he told podcaster and conservative activist Charlie Kirk that he would not be going back to the House of Representatives. While Gaetz resigned from his current term in office, he won his reelection bid on Nov. 5, prompting speculation that he could still serve out his forthcoming term.

“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch,“ Gaetz said on Friday. ”I do not intend to join the 119th Congress; 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 said, referring to Florida’s First Congressional District, which he had represented.

Based on historical data and trends, it appears unlikely that the First District will be flipped by a Democratic candidate. Gaetz won his reelection bid by more than 30 points, and a Democrat hasn’t represented the area since 1995.

“I’m going to be fighting for President Trump. I’m going to be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have,“ he told Kirk, echoing a comment he wrote in his Thursday announcement. ”But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.”

Other than Gaetz, Trump has tapped several other Florida politicians to serve in his Cabinet in some capacity, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as his secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) as his national security adviser.

Hours after Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration, Trump named Republican former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, also his former personal attorney, to become the U.S. attorney general. In response, Gaetz wrote on X that Bondi is a “stellar selection” who will “bring the needed reforms” to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week announced a special election to fill the congressional seats that will soon be vacant, later saying he would be making a decision in early January on who will serve out Rubio’s term in the Senate.

There has been media-driven speculation that DeSantis, a Republican, could tap Gaetz to take Rubio’s seat, although the governor, Gaetz, and Rubio have not made any public remarks on whether that could be a possibility.

“We have already received strong interest from several possible candidates, and we continue to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting,” DeSantis said in his statement about Rubio’s seat. “More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January.”

Before withdrawing his name, Gaetz faced intense media and congressional scrutiny over various allegations of misconduct while he was a congressman. The House Ethics Committee announced in 2021 that he was under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and other matters.

Gaetz has categorically denied the allegations, saying that the DOJ had informed him that a related investigation was closed and resulted in no criminal charges against him.

Gaetz again refuted the allegations while speaking to Kirk. He decried the allegations within the House Ethics panel report as part of a “smear campaign” against him, describing the claims as “false” and “clickbaity.”

“Those allegations were coming from sources that Merrick Garland’s DOJ had already deemed not credible,” he said, referring to the current attorney general. “Like if the things that the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell.”