Representative Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the campaign to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, successfully defeated his primary opponent Aaron Dimmock in Florida on Tuesday. Former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Rick Scott also secured his primary win.
With approximately 72% of the votes tallied, Gaetz emerged victorious with 71%, compared to Dimmock’s 28%. In an interview after his win, Gaetz commented on McCarthy’s departure from the speaker role, suggesting that McCarthy acted out of “revenge and pettiness.” He stated, “I’m on my way to the 119th Congress, and he’s on his way to whatever the next stage of grief is.”
Dimmock expressed disappointment over the results of the primary, acknowledging the challenge of competing against a long-established politician. He described his campaign as an honor despite not achieving the desired outcome.
Last year, McCarthy made history as the first House Speaker to be ousted through a vote, a move led by Gaetz. Only eight Republicans joined the Democrats in voting to remove McCarthy, a decision stemming from frustrations over his strategies to avert a government shutdown. Following this contentious period within the GOP, McCarthy eventually resigned from Congress.
Despite McCarthy’s ousting, tensions between him and Gaetz have persisted. Gaetz is currently aiming to retain his seat in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. He has been a target of McCarthy’s associates, who invested over $3 million in efforts to unseat him.
Gaetz highlighted the failure of those financial tactics, stating, “So it shows the limits of the corrupt big money in Washington in a place like Northwest Florida where there’s a strong connection between me and my voters.”
Earlier this year, another ally of Gaetz, Representative Bob Good, lost a tightly contested primary in Virginia against a candidate aligned with McCarthy. Meanwhile, Representative Nancy Mace from South Carolina has managed to survive her own challenge backed by McCarthy.
Gaetz’s campaign was shadowed by attacks that included allegations of misconduct, specifically related to a past Justice Department investigation into allegations of sex trafficking, for which he was not charged. However, the House Ethics Committee has indicated some allegations may require closer examination.
McCarthy has argued that Gaetz’s ousting of him was motivated by personal grievances stemming from the ethics investigation. Gaetz has rejected McCarthy’s assertions and accused him of attempting to tarnish his reputation.
Their rivalry was evident at the recent Republican National Convention, where Gaetz publicly heckled McCarthy during an interview, further highlighting the ongoing discord.
As Gaetz prepared for his primary, he was widely predicted to win the GOP nomination and is expected to succeed in the general election in the predominantly Republican district. Nonetheless, the challenges he faced could have implications for his future, particularly amid speculation about a potential run for governor in 2026.
In a recent post, Gaetz ruled out intentions to run for governor in the near future, emphasizing his commitment to his current role and support for former President Trump in Washington. “If those plans change, I hope I have opposition as incompetent as these dorks,” he added.