With Matt Gaetz tapped for AG, who could fill his congressional seat?

With U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be Attorney General, the jockeying has already begun to fill a vacancy in Gaetz’s congressional district.

Florida’s 1st Congressional District, located in the Panhandle and anchored by Pensacola, is one of the state’s most conservative districts. Gaetz was elected to the seat in 2016, winning more than 69% of the vote. This year, he secured re-election with 66% of the vote.

That means a Republican is all but guaranteed to hold the seat. Insiders familiar with the district also point out that it’s a very pro-Trump district, meaning anyone considering throwing their hat in the ring who was a Gov. Ron DeSantis supporter in the GOP Presidential Primary may find themselves persona non grata.

Still, there are a number of options for replacements. Florida Politics spoke with political insiders — all of whom asked not to be quoted as the situation continues to unfold — to get an idea of whose name might stick, and whose chances might whither.

Gaetz resigned from Congress in anticipation of taking the new job Wednesday.

Perhaps one of the top options for Gaetz’s replacement is another Gaetz. The young Congressman’s dad, former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, could slip into the seat and enjoy strong name recognition. The scenario would be ideal for Matt Gaetz, as the elder Gaetz could essentially keep the seat warm should his son ever wish to come back to the district to serve.

Sources tell Florida Politics the Gaetz camp has not specifically mentioned the father/son swap, but that members of the community are already musing about it.

And having a seat-warmer for the younger Gaetz might not be a bad idea. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has mused, along with others, that there’s no way Gaetz gets confirmed by the Senate, which is required for the AG post. And calls have been rolling in for the House to release information related to the investigation members were conducting into Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct. If such report were to emerge with damning information, it could further complicate Gaetz’s confirmation prospects.

To make this possibility more salient, Gaetz’ resignation letter, which the Clerk read on the House floor Thursday, said that he would not take the oath of office when members of Congress are sworn in in early January.

Another interesting setup could be with James Uthmeier, DeSantis’ current Chief of Staff. Uthmeier has previously quietly expressed interest in serving in Congress. Notably, that possibility could set up a DeSantis/Trump proxy war should Trump World put up a competing candidate in the GOP Primary.

Alternatively, DeSantis could appoint Uthmeier to fill the remaining term of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump has named Secretary of State.

Also floating at the top of the barrel is former Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. Hayward was instrumental in transforming Pensacola’s city government to a strong Mayor form of government, and was a popular public servant who would bring with him to the campaign trail strong name ID.

He also works with Shumaker Advisors and is the founder and President of Andrews Research and Education Foundation, which oversees Andrews Medicine and works to bring centers of excellence in sports medicine to various communities. His combined experience would position him well to fund a Special Election and establish support outside Pensacola.

Hayward has strong connections to the Lewis Bear family, the area’s largest Anheuser-Busch distributor. The name is on a lot of buildings in the region, and support from them for Hayward would go a long way, not to mention come with cash.

Another contender to keep an eye on is Frank White, a former state Representative in the area who served one term from 2016 to 2018. White also briefly ran for Senate District 1 before backing out and endorsing Don Gaetz, who went on to win the seat.

White would likely have access to plenty of funding. His father-in-law, Sandy Sansing, owns a chain of auto dealerships and previously led a rash of contributions to White’s previous failed bid for Florida Attorney General.

D.C. Reeves is another name to watch. As current Pensacola Mayor, he would bring strong name ID within that city. But sources tell Florida Politics he might have trouble gaining traction in a GOP Primary — which would likely be the ultimate decider in the race — given Reeves’ past support for Democrats. He’s also new to his term and likes the job. But as a Mayor whose star is on the rise, he’s a name worth watching.

A trio of sitting lawmakers may also be mulling a run — state Reps. Shane Abbott, Alex Andrade, Joel Rudman, and Michelle Salzman.

Salzman has made it quite public that she’s interested, including with a late Wednesday post to X.

“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,” Salzman wrote. “I am going to weigh my options and seriously consider it. I love representing Northwest Florida and getting things done. It is an honor serve as a State Representative, so I am already doing what I love to do.”

But insiders doubt she’d gain traction, noting she is often quietly not taken seriously in Pensacola-area political circles.

Andrade, sources claim, has said he’s not interested and would prefer to finish out his final term in the Florida House, and enjoy the leadership perks that come with it.

Rudman, despite winning his latest re-election bid with an overwhelming more than 78% of the vote, isn’t likely to stand out ahead of other more top-tier names.

And as always, the Panhandle’s going to panhandle. There’s likely to be a bevy of candidates who, while worthy enough in the district, will struggle to find a large enough lane to eke out a victory. CD 1 is home to a sizable military community, and political newcomers are known for running in the pro-military lane locally. When Gaetz first ran for the seat, there were several candidates who cannibalized the vote, handing Gaetz a victory with 36% support.

But with all the speculation, don’t expect anything solid until, at least, the Gaetz family weighs in one way or another. No one, insiders tell Florida Politics, is going to want to get ahead of the family in the race.