Florida CFO leads race for Gaetz’s empty seat
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As Florida’s special election to replace former Rep. Matt Gaetz approaches, Jimmy Patronis, the state’s Chief Financial Officer, has emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant 1st District seat. Governor Ron DeSantis is expediting the election process for the Panama City constituency.
Patronis, who serves as CFO and previously held state legislative office, expressed his potential candidacy on X, stating he was “seriously considering” running in the upcoming special election. His conservative track record and strong support from the Greek-American community position him as a likely favorite in the January 28 GOP primary.
#Florida CFO @JimmyPatronis Considering Run for @mattgaetz ' Former Congressional Seat https://t.co/54J58Mzngg #flapol #mattgaetz #gaetz
— FloridaDaily.com (@FL_Daily) November 20, 2024
However, the race is expected to be competitive. State Representative Michelle Salzman has indicated her likely participation in the contest. Both Salzman and Patronis initially backed DeSantis’s presidential bid before switching their allegiance to Trump following the governor’s campaign struggles.
According to an unnamed veteran Florida Republican activist, “But Michelle was far more visible and vocal for Gov. DeSantis than Jimmy. If he gets involved, President Trump would most likely prefer Jimmy.”
The field expanded further when state Representative Joel Rudman, a physician from Navarre, declared his congressional bid on Friday. Like his potential competitors, Rudman strongly supports Trump.
The Republican primary on January 28 is anticipated to draw approximately 13 candidates. Without a runoff requirement in Florida, the highest vote recipient will advance as the Republican nominee to the special election scheduled by DeSantis for April 1.
