Matt Gaetz teases ‘another post’ amid rumors he could replace Rubio in Senate

Matt Gaetz has hinted that he may not disappear from politics for now as speculation grows that he could fill Marco Rubio’s open Senate seat.

Gaetz, who on Thursday withdrew his name from consideration as Donald Trump’s attorney general, posted a cryptic message on his X account in response to a supportive post by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.

“Thank you, Mr. Vice President-Elect! I look forward to continuing the fight to save our country. Just maybe from a different post,” Gaetz said.

His post fueled speculation that he could either replace Rubio in the Senate, try to reclaim his House seat after resigning, or be appointed to another position in the Trump administration that does not require Senate confirmation.

“I’m not sure it’s dead,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland, a member of the House Ethics Committee. Daily beast.

With Rubio named by Trump to be secretary of state, a position likely to be confirmed by the Senate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was left with the task of nominating his replacement in the upper chamber.

Sen. Rick Scott, who lost to Sen. John Thune in the race for majority leader, said Gaetz would be a “great” candidate to replace Rubio.

But Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump is rumored to be the favorite for the role.

Scott said diplomatically. Politician: “I think Lara Trump is a great choice. But Matt would be a wonderful person. But I think Lara would do a great job.”

The idea was supported by former Sean Hannity producer Kylie Jane Kremer, who published a message on X: “Senator Matt Gaetz really likes it.”

But a source close to DeSantis poured cold water on the idea.He National Review reported.

“He won’t appoint Matt,” a source told the publication, referring to DeSantis. Gaetz supported Trump over the governor in the 2024 Republican primary.

It is currently unclear whether Gaetz will try to regain his seat in the House of Representatives. His wife Ginger said on her Instagram page that it was “the end of an era” shortly after her husband announced he was withdrawing from his candidacy for attorney general.

Gaetz resigned last week after Trump asked him to join his administration.

When he resigned, he clarified that he was resigning from his position in the current 118th Congress, while also declaring that he did not intend to take the January seat in the 119th Congress, although he had just won re-election to it earlier in the month. .

If Gaetz does decide he wants to return to Congress, House rules could bar him from taking his seat again, and he might have to instead to compete for him again in a special election in Floridabecause the U.S. Constitution requires special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives.

The Republican left Congress two days before he was set to be subject to a controversial House Ethics Committee report in which a witness reportedly alleged that Gaetz paid her for sex. Gaetz has denied allegations made during the ethics committee’s investigation as well as allegations related to the Justice Department’s sex trafficking investigation into Gaetz and his associates. The Justice Department did not bring any charges against Gaetz.

After his resignation, the jurisdiction of the ethics commission ceased.

Its members are still debating whether to release the findings, and House Democrats – and some Republicans – are calling for them to be made public. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois said he welcomed Gatz’s departure, but “it remains important that Gatz’s report be made available to the American people.”

Trump quickly replaced Gaetz on Thursday, naming former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his next pick to lead the Justice Department.