Florida’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, has been encouraged by President-elect Trump to run in the special election for the seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in Florida’s first congressional district.
Trump expressed his support for Patronis in a post on Truth Social, describing him as “a wonderful friend to me and to MAGA.” Trump went on to outline the priorities Patronis would champion if elected, including economic growth, border security, combating migrant crime, strengthening the military and veterans’ affairs, restoring American energy dominance, and defending the Second Amendment.
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis weighs campaign for special election seat
He concluded with a clear message of support, saying, “Should he decide to enter this race, Jimmy Patronis has my complete and total endorsement. RUN, JIMMY, RUN!”
Patronis confirmed last week via a post on X that he is considering a run for the seat. He stated, “I am strongly considering running for Florida Congressional District 1. We’ve got an historic opportunity to fight the swamp, end lawfare and return power back into the hands of Americans.”
In addition to his role as Florida’s chief financial officer, Patronis serves in the Florida Cabinet and holds the position of state fire marshal. He also has experience as a former member of Florida’s House of Representatives.
On Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced the dates for the special election, with the primary scheduled for January 28 and the general election set for April 1.
The district, one of the state’s most conservative, saw Gaetz secure 66 percent of the vote in his reelection bid earlier this month. Given the district’s strong conservative lean, the Republican primary in January is expected to be highly competitive. Several candidates, including state Reps. Michelle Salzman (R) and Joel Rudman (R), along with former U.S. Army Capt. John Frankman, have already entered the race.
Gaetz resigned from his seat in the 118th Congress after being nominated by President-elect Trump for attorney general. However, he withdrew from consideration on Thursday due to mounting backlash over past investigations into sexual misconduct allegations.
