A.G. Gancarski
If a candidate is going to win the open seat in heavily Republican Congressional District 1, they will do it without the help of the exiting incumbent or his father, an incoming member of the State Senate.
That’s the unambiguous message from former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and Sen. Don Gaetz as the field begins to build.
“Neither Matt nor I are endorsing any candidate,” the Senator told Peter Schorsch on Saturday.
Former state Rep. Frank White and current state Reps. Joel Rudman and Michelle Salzman are not ruling out runs for the open seat, with Salzman being especially vocal in stating her intentions to run.
“Over a quarter of a million dollars in pledges in two days, and I haven’t even started,” Salzman posted to social media Saturday morning.
She will need that and more to keep up with White, should he run. He aggressively self-financed during his run for Attorney General back in 2018, and his family is well-to-do.
CD 1 has a GOP registration majority, meaning that the winner of the GOP Primary very likely will win the General Election.
Former Rep. Gaetz resigned from the current Congress and the next one effective this week, as President-elect Donald Trump picked him for his Attorney General nominee.
Special elections have yet to be set for this seat or another vacancy in the 6th Congressional District, where former Rep. Mike Waltz has been selected as a National Security Adviser in the Trump White House.
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Florida Politics Publisher Peter Schorsch contributed reporting.
2 comments
MH/Duuuval
November 16, 2024 at 12:46 pm
Like father, like son, eh?
Must be kinda strange when Don goes to church after new, unflattering info on his previous scion surfaces.
MH/Duuuval
November 16, 2024 at 12:46 pm
precious, not previous