Challengers: Florida GOP politicos potentially eye 2026 gubernatorial run

Florida’s gubernatorial race is seeing movement with former Rep. Matt Gaetz openly discussing he’s considering the statewide run and Rep. Byron Donalds aligning himself with a leading Republican pollster.

Gaetz is not letting the release of the U.S. House Ethics Committee’s report alleging “substantial evidence” he paid for sex — including with a minor — slow down his future political prospects. The former rep, who started hosting a political show after resigning from Congress, told the Tampa Bay Times and Fox News Wednesday that he’s mulling a run in the gubernatorial race with a compelling vision for the state.

However, Gaetz is not the only one making moves to potentially succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis. Thursday morning Florida Politics broke the news that Donalds, who represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District, signed on with the research company of a prominent Republican pollster.

The pollster in question, Tony Fabrizio, has worked with President-elect Donald Trump’s campaigns and campaigns and PACs of other political figures, such as Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott, according to his company’s website.

Both Donalds and Gaetz got reelected to Congress in November, but Gaetz’s political future is in limbo since his path to becoming attorney general fell apart because of the sexual misconduct accusations he has denied. Meanwhile, Donalds, who accompanied Trump on the campaign trail, is not one of the many Floridians the president-elect has chosen to join his administration.

In an appearance on ABC Wednesday, Donalds said he’d drafted legislation to eliminate income tax on tips, one of Trump’s campaign promises.

“There’s complete agreement about what needs to be done with the White House and with both chambers. Now you’re just talking about constructing how that stuff gets done,” Donalds said.

Donalds and Gaetz started their political careers as state lawmakers in the House, Gaetz in 2010 and Donalds in 2016, before becoming U.S. reps.

Florida’s status as a ruby-red state is likely to set up Republicans for a competitive primary. Following reports of Gaetz’s consideration for the statewide office, Florida Senate’s Dem leader Jason Pizzo posted on X that he would “kick his ass.”

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