The father of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announced on Monday that he intends to make a comeback to the Florida Senate, a chamber he once led.
Don Gaetz, 75, reportedly said he will prepare the necessary paperwork for a run in next year’s election to succeed outgoing state Sen. Doug Broxson after another Republican, former state Rep. Frank White, agreed to end his campaign for the Florida Panhandle seat.
“I told him ‘I don’t have any plans to run for the Senate’ but I told people I would listen. So I’m listening. That spread,” Gaetz said, according to the Pensacola News Journal. “Then three or four days ago Frank (White) said ‘Don, if you run I will withdraw.’ That made the decision a lot easier.”
The news outlet noted White said in a text message that the elder Gaetz is a “living legend” and has his “full support.” Broxson, who had previously endorsed White to represent Senate District 1, also rallied behind Gaetz.
Don Gaetz indicated that, if elected back into office, he will focus on fighting high costs, helping people people find good-paying jobs, and championing parents being able to decide on reading materials for their children. He reportedly voiced support for the effort by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to “beat woke-ism out of the Florida Education System.”
The elder Gaetz previously worked as a healthcare executive and politician. He served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2006 to 2016, including a stint as the chamber’s president. He helped create the Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors to oversee the $1.5 billion settlement fund stemming from the 2010 BP oil spill and later joined the board after he left office.
Don Gaetz opted not to run for U.S. Congress in 2016, but his son Matt, who had been serving in the state House of Representatives, did run and got elected while closely aligning himself with former President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement.
The younger Gaetz is now making headlines for his clash against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a government spending fight. Matt Gaetz has threatened to file a “motion to vacate” against McCarthy this week which could lead to a no-confidence vote in the speaker.
McCarthy has shrugged off the challenge, telling CBS News on Sunday, “I’ll survive.” There is also a push among some GOP lawmakers to try and expel Matt Gaetz from Congress depending on the findings of an Ethics Committee inquiry.
Don Gaetz said his son was supportive of his plan to again seek office and pushed back against reports that Matt Gaetz might run for governor in 2026.
“Matt has encouraged me to run for the Senate, but I know in Washington he is laser focused on the budget issues, trying to control spending, trying to pass term limits,” Don Gaetz, according to POLITICO. “He is not focused on running for governor. He has no plans to run for governor.”