Additional Coverage:
Representative Matt Gaetz triumphed over his GOP rival in Florida’s staunchly conservative congressional district, as the Associated Press confirmed his victory Tuesday. His win signals a significant setback to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s campaign to retaliate against those Republicans who contributed to his removal from leadership last year.
“Thank you FL-01. I will never stop fighting for you,” Gaetz expressed on the social media platform X following the announcement of his victory.
Despite being outspent—McCarthy’s aligned group invested $3 million in negative advertisements—Gaetz is set to decisively beat former Navy pilot Aaron Dimmock, who Gaetz criticized for being a newcomer and for his past involvement in diversity training initiatives.
Leading up to the primary, Gaetz intensified his campaign efforts, hosting numerous events across Florida’s 1st District. He rallied support from fellow Republicans, including Arizona’s Rep.
Eli Crane and Tennessee’s Rep. Tim Burchett, who had backed his move to oust McCarthy.
Gaetz is widely expected to defeat his Democratic challenger, Gay Valimont, in the upcoming November election, as his district traditionally votes Republican by a substantial margin.
With this primary victory, Gaetz continues to challenge McCarthy’s authority. McCarthy had aimed to undermine a faction of eight far-right Congress members, spearheaded by Gaetz, who played a crucial role in his displacement as Speaker—a chaotic period that saw considerable turmoil on Capitol Hill as Republicans struggled to choose a new leader.
Despite McCarthy’s concerted efforts against these far-right members, only one, House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, lost in what has been one of the most high-profile and expensive GOP primaries of the 2024 election cycle. Other targets, including South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, emerged victorious in their primaries.
The victory fuels further speculation that Gaetz may seek the Florida governorship in 2026, as current Governor Ron DeSantis will be ineligible to run due to term limits. Although Gaetz has denied any current plans to run for the state office, some insiders suggest he is considering it. McCarthy allies have reportedly strategized to continue opposing Gaetz if he decides to run for governor, even distributing a memo that questioned his gubernatorial prospects.
Sources close to Gaetz, however, assert that he is likely to run for governor in 2026 and that McCarthy’s actions will not hinder his aspirations—in fact, they could even motivate him more.
“McCarthy did not do a single thing to dissuade Matt from running for governor,” an associate of Gaetz disclosed to ABC News. “If that was the effort, it’s been utterly ineffective.”
Yet publicly, Gaetz remains focused on his Congressional role. “I have no plans to run for governor.
I like my job and I want to help President Trump in Washington,” Gaetz stated on X. “If those plans change, I hope I have opposition as incompetent as these dorks.”