Former Rep. Matt Gaetz ‘Starting To Think’ About Run For FL Governor: Report

FLORIDA — After resigning from consideration for President-elect Donald Trump’s administration in November, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz hinted that he could run for state governor in 2026.

When Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini predicted in a Nov. 23 post to X, formerly Twitter, that the ex-Congressman “will be the next Governor of the State of Florida,” Gaetz reposted it with a GIF of the state flag waving.

Now, the Florida Republican has openly said he’s considering a run for the state’s top leadership position, telling the Tampa Bay Times that he’s “starting to think about running for governor” weeks after the release of a congressional report on sexual misconduct allegations against him.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis is ineligible to run for reelection in two years because of term limits.

Gaetz was Trump’s original pick for U.S. attorney general, but withdrew from consideration for the role because of growing scrutiny over the allegations against him.

An attorney for two women said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.

One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.

Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and said last year that the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.

But the former Congressman withdrew as a nominee for Trump's cabinet, saying he did not want his confirmation to become a "distraction" for the incoming Trump administration.

"I remain fully committed to (seeing) that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history," Gaetz said in a post to X at the time. "I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I'm certain he will Save America."

In December, the House Ethics committee released its report on the allegations against Gaetz and found “substantial evidence” of paying women for sex, having sex with a minor, as well as using and possessing illegal drugs.

Read the entire report, published by The Associated Press, here.