TAMPA, Florida — President-elect Donald Trump backed Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis to replace Rep. Matt Gaetz in Congress.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social and said Patronis has been a "wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA."
If elected, Patronis would fill the vacant congressional seat that Gaetz resigned from during his bid for attorney general, which he pulled out of on Thursday. Gaetz withdrew from consideration because his " confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition."
When he was nominated, Gaetz received heavy scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman's ability to be confirmed as the nation's chief federal law enforcement officer.
Patronis responded to Trump's post and said "Put me to work, Mr. President! @realDonaldTrump I am here to serve." As he responded, he also sent in his resignation letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis so that he could hold on to his seat while campaigning for the seat encompassing parts of the Panhandle.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as Florida's CFO for nearly eight years," he wrote. "I know Florida is on a roll and it is only the beginning under the new federal leadership of President-elect Donald Trump."
Monday is the deadline to submit notices of resignation for elected officials who want to run in the special election for Gaetz's seat.
The primary election for the congressional seat is scheduled for Jan. 28 with the general election scheduled for April 1.
Patronis said in the letter that his resignation is effective on March 31.
The district is very conservative with 66% of voters favoring Gaetz in the 2024 Election. So, a Republican is likely to fill the position.
Patronis was previously a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the sixth congressional district, which encompasses Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and portions of Walton counties. He holds an associate's degree in restaurant management and a bachelor's in political science. He was part of Florida's Election Commission before being a representative.
Other candidates who have already announced they will run include state Reps. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, and Joel Rudman, R-Navarre, former assistant state attorney Keith Gross, former U.S. Army Captain and Green Beret John Frankman and former Democratic congressional candidate Gay Valimont.
