Drew Wilson
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz has landed an endorsement from Donald Trump in his bid for a fifth term representing Florida’s 1st Congressional District.
“Matt Gaetz is a great Representative for the amazing people of Florida’s 1st Congressional District,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Matt is a Warrior for our MAGA Agenda, who tirelessly works to Drain the Swamp, Secure the Border, Support our Brave Veterans and Law Enforcement, Defend our always under siege Second Amendment, Stand Up to the Woke Mob, and Fight the Never-Ending Which Hunts from the Radical Left that our destroying our Country!”
The former President concluded with his hallmark phrase of support: “Matt Gaetz has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Gaetz thanked Trump for the endorsement in a Sunday tweet.
Trump’s endorsement comes after Republican Aaron Dimmock launched a bid to primary Gaetz just ahead of the qualifying deadline for federal candidates.
As Florida Politics previously reported, Dimmock appears to have ties to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican who Gaetz has long feuded with. Gaetz filed the motion to vacate that resulted in McCarthy being the first House Speaker ever ousted from leadership by a vote mid-Congress.
Gaetz and Dimmock are the only Republicans who qualified for the ballot. They will face off in the Aug. 20 Primary Election.
CD 1, which covers the westernmost stretch of the Panhandle, is a Republican stronghold — Trump carried the district with 66% of the vote to President Joe Biden’s 32% in 2020, and in 2016 he bested Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton 68%-28%.
Still, Democrat Gay Valimont is running for the seat, which locks non-Republicans out from casting a ballot in the Gaetz vs. Dimmock head-to-head.
Gaetz has easily fended off past Primary challengers. Two years ago, Republican challenger Mark Lombardo spent massive amounts of his own money, mostly on ads smearing Gaetz, only to lose 70%-24%. Gaetz, who was caught in the vortex of the Aaron Greenberg scandal, benefited from a Trump endorsement in that election, too.
Dimmock hasn’t shown any indications he will bring Lombardo-level money to the table, and with the cloud of potential criminal charges against Gaetz long gone, there’s no readily apparent strategy to overcome a Trump-endorsed incumbent who is widely popular both in his district and among right-wing Republicans nationwide.
9 comments
Michael K
May 28, 2024 at 9:49 am
Warrior? Gaetz is nothing more than a showboat and self-serving angertainer with a puerile sense of “humor.” He has zero legislative accomplishments. Zero. He shut down the US Congress for an entire month because Kevin McCarthy refused to cancel the House ethics investigation into Little Matty’s inappropriate behavior. Shut down at a critical time for US foreign policy. Explains why he has so much in common with Trump – whom he begged for a pre-emptive pardon. Who does that?
Stormy
May 28, 2024 at 9:50 am
Gaetz paid underaged girls to party with him.
Trump paid porn stars.
what’s the saying.. ???
What they both respect women?
Dont Say FLA
May 28, 2024 at 10:01 am
Tugboat “Matt is a Warrior for our MAGA Agenda.”
And MAGA’s agenda is “Death to America.” Why? Making something great means it’s not great and you want to terminate how it is, remaking it into your idea of whatever you think “great” is.
MAGA = JIHAD = DEATH TO AMERICA = WACKOS CLAIMING RELIGION AS THEIR EXCUSE
Balls
May 28, 2024 at 10:06 am
How many virgins does Matt Gaetz get when he is martyred by MAGAs?How many more virgins does Matt Gaetz get when he’s martyred by MAGAs?
However many more it is, let us pray the MAGAs learned some lessons when they failed to martyr Pence. Let’s pray Matt Gaetz earns himself some more virgins.
Thoughts and prayers for Matt Gaetz getting what he wants. More virgins!
Joe
May 28, 2024 at 10:56 am
Groomers and criminals stick together.
Deez Nutz
May 28, 2024 at 11:04 am
These guys will have to run out of saliva at some point. Hoping for “sooner.”
Ocean Joe
May 29, 2024 at 5:47 am
For every teaspoon they drain from the swamp, they pour a thousand barrels back in, and look what floats to the top. Gaetz and Trump.
I could see Gaetz being appointed ambassador to one of those s-hole countries in a second Trump term.
waking
May 29, 2024 at 8:09 am
Both of them are repulsive, ugly losers. Both belong in prison. Pox on them!
rick whitaker
May 30, 2024 at 1:02 pm
2 ugly peas in an ugly pod.
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