Special Election set to replace Matt Gaetz

With U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz resigning ahead of his now-failed Attorney General bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Secretary of State Cord Byrd have delivered on a promise of an expedited timeline to replace him.

A Special Election in Florida’s 1st Congressional District will begin with a compressed qualifying period, running from Dec. 5-6.

Mail ballots will be sent out on Dec. 14 for military members and overseas voters and on Dec. 19 for other voters. Early voting will run from Jan. 18-25, with Election Day for the Primary on Jan. 28.

For the General Election, overseas mail ballots will go out on Feb. 15, followed by domestic ballots on Feb. 20. Early voting will be available March 22-29. Election Day will take place on April 1.

“At Governor Ron DeSantis’ direction, this Special Election is being conducted as quickly as statutorily possible,” Byrd said in a prepared statement Friday. “We are committed to ensuring this election is held as soon as we are allowed to hold it by state law.”

Though Democrats almost certainly will attempt to flip this seat, the former Panhandle seat advantages Republicans.

Located in the Panhandle and anchored by Pensacola, CD 1 is one of the state’s most conservative districts in the state.

Gaetz was elected to the seat in 2016, winning more than 69% of the vote. This year, he won with 66% of the vote. More than 53% of the electorate is registered as a Republican, according to the most recent L2 voter data. Only 22% of the district’s voters are registered as Democrats.

President-elect Donald Trump picked Gaetz to run for AG, prompting Gaetz’s resignation, which also came just before the House Ethics Committee voted to release a potentially damning report into his conduct. After details leaked out over the past several days, Gaetz withdrew his nomination while facing headwinds in the Senate.

The quick movement here to fill Gaetz’s seat vividly contrasts with the slow walk taken when filling a seat held by a Democrat a few years back.

When U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings passed away in office, DeSantis allowed nine months to pass between his death and the Special Election to replace him. The Governor is a former member of Congress, and understands keenly how important the balance of power is in the chamber.

Competition could be fierce for the seat, though with the caveat in all cases being that a Trump endorsement will probably drive the action in the GOP Primary and by extension the General Election.

Several GOP candidates have already announced runs, including state Reps. Joel Rudman and Michelle Salzman, former U.S. Senate candidate Keith Gross and Bikers for Trump leader Bernadette Pittman. Democrat Gay Valimont, whom Gaetz defeated in the General Election this month, is also running.