Matt Gaetz Has His Eye on a New Job

With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leaving his post in two years due to term limits, some have speculated controversial former lawmaker Matt Gaetz might run to replace him. Now Gaetz himself is stoking that speculation. "I am starting to think about running for governor" in 2026, Gaetz tells the Tampa Bay Times. "If I run, I would be the most pro-consumer candidate on the Republican side," says Gaetz, who left the House of Representatives as President-elect Trump's attorney general nominee only to withdraw from consideration and become a talk show host.

However, he noted he needs to continue discussing the idea with his wife and pray about it before making a final decision. While popular among Trump's MAGA base, the Times calls Gaetz "one of the most reviled Republicans in the country by Democrats." He's the subject of a scathing House Ethics Committee report alleging there's evidence he had sex with an underage girl, paid other women for sex, used illegal drugs, and accepted gifts above the allowable limits for lawmakers. He was also once investigated by the very department Trump wanted him to lead, but ultimately, Justice decided against charging him with sex trafficking. (See the full interview at the Times.)