DeSantis sets special election for Gaetz seat

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday formally set a special election date to fill former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) vacant House seat in Florida’s 1st Congressional District.

The primary election for the district is slated to take place Jan. 28, 2025, and the district’s general election will take place April 1, 2025.

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

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The district is one of the most conservative congressional districts in the state. Gaetz sailed to reelection earlier this month, carrying 66 percent of the vote.

The heavy conservative lean of the district will likely lead to a hotly contested Republican primary in January. A number of candidates, including state Reps. Michelle Salzman (R) and Joel Rudman (R), as well as former U.S. Army Capt. John Frankman, have thrown their names into the ring. And earlier this week, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said in a post on social platform X that he was “strongly considering” a run for the seat.

The special election dates come hours after Gaetz said Friday that he would not be returning to serve in the 119th Congress.

Last week, Gaetz resigned his seat from the 118th Congress after President-elect Trump nominated him to be his attorney general. Gaetz said Thursday that he was taking himself out of consideration in the face of growing backlash over past investigations into sexual misconduct allegations against him.