US President-elect Donald Trump has endorsed former Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Petronis to fill Matt Gaetz’s seat in Congress, The Independent reported. Gaetz resigned after facing sexual misconduct allegations and a federal investigation into sex trafficking. He also withdrew his bid to become Trump’s attorney general, citing the controversy as a distraction.
Endorsed by Jimmy Petronis
Trump takes to Truth Social to praise Jimmy Petronis as a “fourth-generation Floridian” and devoted ally The MAGA movement.“Jimmy Petronis, Chief Financial Officer of the Great State of Florida, has done a tremendous job as CFO, where he also serves as State Fire Marshal and as a key member of the Florida Cabinet. I heard that Jimmy is now considering starting a campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District!” Trump wrote.
“A fourth-generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me and MAGA. As your next Congressman, Jimmy will work tirelessly with me to grow our economy, secure our border, stop immigrant crime, strengthen our incredible military/VETS, restore American energy dominance, and defend our ever-beleaguered Second Amendment,” he said. added
“Should he decide to enter this race, Jimmy Petronis has my full and complete support. Run, Jimmy, run!” Trump concluded, putting his full weight behind Petronis.
In response, Petronis stepped down as CFO on Monday and announced his intention to run for Florida’s 1st District seat. On X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Put me to work, Mr. President. @realDonaldTrump I’m here to serve. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the dates for a special election to fill Gaetz’s seat. The primary election is scheduled for January 28, with the final election to be held on April 1.
Petronis, a Panama City-based restaurateur and Trump loyalistsHas held public office since 2017. Earlier this year, he supported the “Freedom Fighters Fund,” a proposed bill aimed at helping Floridians, including Trump, who are facing legal battles. However, the legislation was shelved following opposition from DeSantis.
Within hours of stepping down, Petronis announced his candidacy for Florida’s Congressional District 1, which covers parts of Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.
Why did Gaetz resign?
Gaetz, 42, resigned earlier this month amid allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, just as the House Ethics Committee was set to release a “highly damaging” report on its investigation. Although Gaetz denied the allegations, he described them as a “smear” and called the confirmation process for his attorney general nomination a “disruption of the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.”
Despite his resignation, the Ethics Committee has not released its report citing the conclusion of its investigation. Former Trump adviser John Bolton called Gaetz “the worst cabinet-level appointment in history.”
Gaetz’s withdrawal paved the way for Trump to nominate former Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi, as his choice for attorney general. Meanwhile, Getz has yet to announce his next career move.
As Petronis steps into the political spotlight, he brings a reputation as a Trump ally eager to advance the MAGA agenda.