Michelle Salzman to remain in Legislature, won’t run for Matt Gaetz’s seat

Michelle Salzman is helping develop a way to connect people who are homeless with available shelters.

State Rep. Michelle Salzman will remain in the Legislature after all.

The Escambia County Republican announced that she will not run for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, less than a week after saying she would compete for former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz’s open seat.

She changed plans after President-elect Donald Trump endorsed Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis for the job instead. Shortly after, Patronis said he was ready to run.

Salzman made clear she will follow Trump’s lead.

“Politics is an ever-changing chessboard,” Salzman posted on X. “Our first priority as elected officials should be our constituents. If we put them first, we all win! Jimmy has been endorsed by the leader of our party and that should be enough for us to get behind him.”

But a crowded field of Republican candidates remains.

In addition to Patronis, GOP candidates who already took steps to run include former Green Beret John Frankman, former U.S. Senate candidate Keith Gross, Gaetz’s former Director of Military Affairs, Nathan Nelson, Bikers for Trump leader Bernadette Pittman, state Rep. Joel Rudman, former Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino and F-35 trainer and pilot Jeff Witt.

Of note, candidates who hold elected office now have to file an irrevocable resignation of their current post in order to run for another office under Florida law. The deadline to file that resignation is on the same day Salzman announced she will not run, but the requirement hangs over Rudman and now Patronis.

The CD 1 seat remains vacant now because Gaetz resigned his own post earlier this month after Trump nominated the Fort Walton Beach Republican for Attorney General. Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for that job but later clarified he does not intend to return to Congress for a new term in January.

Democrats Stanley Gray and Gay Valimont have also made moves to run, as has no-party candidate Tevin Minus. But Republicans are heavily favored to hold the seat.

Located in the Panhandle and anchored by Pensacola, the district is one of the state’s most conservative. 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. In CD 1, more than 53% of the electorate registered as a Republican, according to the most recent L2 voter data. Only 22% of the district’s voters are registered as Democrats.

A Special Election was called on Friday. The qualifying period will be compressed from Dec. 5-6. The Primary will occur on Jan. 28. The Special General Election Day will take place on April 1.