Matt Gaetz is widely expected to run for governor of Florida – NBC 6 South Florida
The idea of Rep. Matt Gaetz running for governor of Florida in 2026 has been the subject of several conversations in Tallahassee in recent days, including during a reception Sunday evening for the new speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Gaetz has long been on the short list of those who will seek the Republican nomination for governor, a field that is expected to be crowded as incumbent Ron DeSantis faces term limits. DeSantis is currently running for president but would still have two years left in the governor’s mansion if his candidacy fails.
Gaetz, like most other Florida Republican politicians, was in Tallahassee for the nomination ceremony of Republican Rep. Danny Perez of Miami, who will serve as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives starting next year.
As part of the celebration, Perez hosted a reception Sunday evening at an AC Hotel by Marriott near downtown. At the event, Gaetz was seen “holding court, so to speak,” and he strongly suggested several times that he would run for governor, four people who attended the event told NBC News.
“There was a lot of talk about this at the reception last night, and Gaetz told people to generally expect his presence,” said a longtime Florida Republican lobbyist.
Read the full story on NBC News.com here.
