SEATTLE - As President-elect Donald Trump continues to pick the members that will take part in his second Cabinet, plenty officials in Florida have gotten the call to join Trump's staff, thus leaving their current positions within the Sunshine State's government up for grabs.
Apart from the nominations of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Rep. Mike Waltz's to serve as Trump's Secretary of State and National Security Advisor respectively, Florida will need to find a replacement for Rep. Matt Gaetz's seat, as his failed nomination to be the next Attorney General came to an end amid a series of sexual allegations.
Last week, Gaetz had to withdraw from consideration while also renouncing to his role as U.S. representative for Florida's 1st Congressional District, position that he held from 2017 until his resignation in 2024. But according to reports from the Miami Herald, that vacancy might not be open for too long as Trump has already endorsed another Florida politician to take over Gaetz's responsibilities.
On Nov. 25, Trump preemptively threw his support behind Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis to fill the House seat.
Who is Jimmy Patronis?
Born in Panama City, Florida, Patronis has held many different positions within the Florida government since entering the world of politics in the late 1990s.
He started off as an intern in the Florida Senate, and in just a couple of years, he was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Florida Elections Commission, a position that he held between 1998 and 2003.
Prior to serving as the state's Chief Financial Officer, Patronis was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 6th district from 2006 to 2014.
Due to term-limit restrictions, Patronis could not return to the state's House of Representatives after 2014. The following year, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Patronis to the Florida Public Service Commission until 2017, when he ran for the CFO position that was up for grabs after Jeff Atwater announced he was resigning.
With the Florida CFO position only able to seek reelection once, Patronis will be term-limited in 2026, making him the perfect candidate to replace Gaetz in Congress.
Known for his fiscal conservatism and pro-business policies, Patronis could appeal to both DeSantis' conservative base and business interests in Florida. The Republican is also a big supporter of crypto currency and aligns with DeSanti's wishes to prohibit central bank digital currencies.
Although his nomination would be welcomed by DeSantis and Trump, Patronis has not formally announced a bid to represent Florida's 1st Congressional District yet, although he has said that he is "strongly considering" a run for the seat.
While he makes up his mind, President-elect Trump has already taken to social media to share his thoughts on the prospect of having Patronis as a member of Congress.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said that Patronis "would work tirelessly alongside of me to Grow our Economy, Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Incredible Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment," Trump wrote.
Trump added that, if Patronis decided to enter the race to replace Gaetz, he would have his "complete and total endorsement," finishing his post with the phrase "RUN, JIMMY, RUN!"
Elections for Florida's 1st Congressional District
After Gaetz's resignation, the state of Florida will hold a special election to fill its 1st Congressional District seat on April 1, 2025.
Although Patronis counts with Trump's endorsement, he is not the only official thinking about running for the vacancy.
Florida state representative Michelle Salzman has also announced her bid for the seat in recent days. but after Trump's message backing Patronis, Salzman seems to have thrown her support behind Patronis.
"Politics is an ever-changing chessboard. Our first priority as elected officials should be our constituents. If we put them first, we all win!" Salzman wrote on X. "Jimmy has been endorsed by the leader of our party and that should be enough for us to get behind him. Congratulations @JimmyPatronis," she added.
If Patronis were to replace Gaetz in the lower chamber of Congress, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would have to then replace him by appointing a new state CFO.
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