Florida special election for Matt Gaetz’s seat slated for April 1

Gaetz resigned from Congress after he was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as attorney general. He then dropped out of the running for the position, citing the “distraction” of the confirmation process. Gaetz has come under criticism for alleged sexual assault and drug use, which he denies. Trump would go on to say that he would nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“I’m gonna be fighting for President Trump,” Gaetz told Charlie Kirk during a radio interview. “I’m gonna be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have. But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.”

Filling the seat in the 1st District takes several months due to requirements for candidate qualification, deadlines for overseas ballots, and the need to hold both primary and general elections. The primaries are scheduled for January 28, and the GOP nominee is expected to hold a significant advantage over the Democratic candidate.

“At Gov. Ron DeSantis’ direction, this special election is being conducted as quickly as statutorily possible,” Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said in a statement, reports Politico. “We are committed to ensuring this election is held as soon as we are allowed to hold it by state law.”

GOP State Rep. Michelle Salzman filed to run for the district on Tuesday, while Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said he was “strongly considering” a run.

“We’ve got a historic opportunity to fight the swamp, end lawfare and return power back into the hands of Americans,” he wrote on X.

A Trump endorsement in the race is likely to solidify the choice for the future representative. Salzman backed DeSantis during the primary, while Patronis—who had been considering a 2026 gubernatorial bid—remained neutral until DeSantis exited the race.

Florida is also preparing for another special election. Trump has selected Rep. Mike Waltz to serve as his national security adviser. However, the date for that election has yet to be set, as Waltz has not announced his resignation.