GOP primary vote on the horizon, 10 candidates are in the race to replace Matt Gaetz as Florida's District 1 congressman.

Gaetz has long been considered a top contender for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2026, when incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited.

House members applauded an official announcement on Friday that former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz will not return to Congress this term. Newsweek reached out to One America News Network, which airs The Matt Gaetz Show, for comment from Gaetz via email on Friday.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody have each been rumored to be considering a run for the Republican nomination. (Moody is also widely seen as the top candidate to be DeSantis’ choice to succeed Marco Rubio in the Senate.)

The event, featuring 10 candidates vying to replace former Congressman Matt Gaetz, provided a platform for voters to hear candidates’ plans and priorities ahead of the Jan. 28 Republican primary.

Matt Gaetz, former Florida congressman and short-lived nominee for attorney general, told multiple outlets that he is considering a bid for Florida governor. His comments come weeks after the House Ethics Committee released a bombshell report claiming he paid for sex with a 17-year-old.

President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, turning to a longtime ally after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, wit

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 announced he was resigning his seat in November after President-elect Donald Trump picked him to be his attorney general. However, allegations of sexual misconduct dogged Gaetz’s nomination, and he ultimately withdrew his name from consideration.

I have a compelling vision for the state,” Gaetz said. “I understand how to fix the insurance problem, and it’s not to hand the keys to the state over to the insurance industry. If I run, I would be the most pro-consumer candidate on the Republican side.

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.