The Florida Republican Party is blessed with a growing bench of officeholders in their 30s and early 40s and one of the rising stars -- Matt Gaetz -- is well-poised to move from the state House to the state Senate in 2016.
The son of Senate President Don Gaetz, Matt Gaetz threw his hat in the ring for the seat his father currently holds. Between the middle of May and the end of June, Gaetz raised an impressive $232,360 and spent around $6,750. With more than three years to go until the actual election, Gaetz should be in great shape, especially as running a campaign in the Panhandle doesnt cost as much as it would in other parts of the state.
Even more important, Jimmy Patronis, who had filed to run for the seat and was raising serious funds, announced he would not run in 2016. Despite serving together as Republicans in the Florida House, Gaetz and Patronis had already started sniping at each other, exchanging attacks on Twitter and through other social media outlets.
Gaetz was elected to the House in a special election in April 2010 and his legal background (he studied law at William and Mary) has helped in his committee assignments. Chairing the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, Gaetz also sits on the Judiciary Committee. Hes also on the Select Committee on Gaming which will be front and center in Tallhassee next year as the issue of expanded casino gambling comes back before the Legislature.
Only 31, Gaetz is one Republican who should be a force in Florida politics for the decades to come. Gaetz should be headed to the Senate with his rich campaign account and the Republican lean of the Panhandle. Its certainly possible to imagine Gaetz as a Senate president way down the road. Congress could also be a possibility though Jeff Miller, the Republican who represents the Panhandle in Washington, is only 54 and is very secure in the seat.
But if the Panhandle is a safe area for Republicans, its not a natural base for a statewide political career. The Panhandle is simply so isolated from the rest of the state that its tough for a politician from there to break through to the rest of the state, though there have been some exceptions including Reubin Askew.
Certainly Gaetz could use his time in the Legislature to prepare for a run for state office. In recent years, Jeff Atwater, Tom Lee and Mike Haridopolos used the Senate presidency to run for statewide office but only Atwater was ultimately successful. With his background, Gaetz might be able to run for attorney general down the road.
Gaetzs prospects of entering the Senate appear much more certain. With his conservative stances, vocal personality, sharp use of social media, being the son of a former Senate president and his already proven fundraising abilities, Gaetz should be a force in the Senate and that could help propel him to the next level.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis exclusively for Sunshine State News.
