11 Candidates Qualify To Run For Gaetz’s House Seat

Florida Politics reports:

Eleven candidates have already qualified to run in a Special Election to succeed former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. More are expected to enter the running before a noon deadline on Friday.

Jimmy Patronis [photo], Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, already landed a critical endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump, and now has qualified for the ballot. Patronis already resigned his statewide office to run, and cannot revoke the resignation whether he wins or loses the race.

State Rep. Joel Rudman also already filed his resignation from the Florida House, effective Jan. 1, in order to run for the open seat, and has now paid his qualifying fee. The Navarre Republican counts himself as a close ally of Gaetz, calling himself an “heir apparent” to the seat.

Read the full article. The other nine candidates are profiled at the link. Patronis, you will recall, has proposed having Florida residents pay Trump’s “lawfare” bills up to $5 million. Rudman, a medical doctor, has appeared here for his successful bill allowing healthcare providers to refuse to treat LGBTQ patients because Jesus. The general election to fill Gaetz’s seat is scheduled for April Fool’s Day.

11 candidates have qualified so far for the Special Election to succeed @MattGaetz

Reporting by @JacobOgleshttps://t.co/pcoDedpQ0Y#FlaPol pic.twitter.com/jQeoruoow5

— Florida Politics (@Fla_Pol) December 5, 2024