TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Former Congressman Matt Gates says he will not return to congress after withdrawing his name from consideration for U.S. Attorney General.

Florida’s secretary of state has set an April 1, 2025, special election date in the race to replace him.

According to NBC news, Gaetz announced during an interview with Charlie Kirk that, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress.”

Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power took the time to applaud Gaetz.

“He’s made it very clear he’s not taking the oath. He’s done in his time in congress. He’s going to move on to something else, so that has a cascading effect,” Power said. “There are some other names out there, I think it will have a robust primary. What’s good for us as a party is it’s a safe Republican seat.”

Adding to the list of people already vying to replace Gaetz in District 1: Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Patronis took to “X” to say he’s up for the job.

Florida Democratic Leader Nikki Fried says democrats also plan to field candidates for both the District 1 race and for the special election to replace Congressman Michael Walz in District 6.

Though any candidate could be facing an uphill battle in those deep red districts.

And as for Gaetz himself, could he still change his mind? Would it even be possible for him to run again for the seat he just vacated?

University of South Florida Political Professor J. Benton says never say never.

“Once he resigned the election, laws in Florida clicked in. Meaning that they’d have to be a special election to fill that seat,” Benton said. “But as we just noted, there’s no legal problem for him running for his old seat.”

Gaetz may be out of the picture now, but no matter what happens, this will create a domino effect here in the Sunshine State.