'Leader of the base': Matt Gaetz boosts profile amid buzz about running for governor

In toppling the Speaker of the House, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, long one of the state’s most polarizing elected officials, also demonstrated he is among the most influential.

But it's come at the cost of infuriating his Republican colleagues in Florida and the halls of Congress.

Gaetz’s already considerable fame as a political provocateur is reaching new heights after he took on one of the most powerful men in the country and won, commanding the national spotlight.

In the process, Gaetz once again proved Florida is the epicenter of national GOP politics as he vaulted himself into the upper echelon of the state’s Republican hierarchy, which includes the two biggest names in conservative politics over the last few years – Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.

"Outside of the former president there is no question he is the leader of the base here in Florida," state Sen. Joe Gruters, the former chair of the Florida GOP, said of Gaetz.

"The American people, and Floridians especially, took notice of Matt's leadership and he's the kind of fighter we need should he choose to run for higher office in the future," added Gruters, a prominent Trump backer.

Buzz about Gaetz running for governor in 2026 likely will increase, even as the already considerable list of his detractors also grows.

“Gaetz has very few friends in the conference,” U.S. Rep.Carlos Gimenez, a Republican from the Miami area, told Politico. “Gaetz maybe has a couple of friends in the delegation. But I’m not one of them.”

Gaetz’s central role in the speaker drama also proves once again that Florida is a haven for high-profile, disruptive, hard-edged populist Republicans who are eager to shatter norms.

Dismissed by many political observers – including in his own party – as a loud mouth, attention-seeking political performer with no real clout and no interest in doing the hard work of governing, Gaetz proved that he can be a force to reckon with as he led a small group of GOP lawmakers against Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Many see Gaetz as a purely destructive force, and he was pilloried this week by leading GOP figures, including some of his Florida colleagues.

“He's about clicks,” Gimenez told Politico. “He's about how many cameras he can get shoved in his face and he's a historical figure because he caused for the first time in history and all that. I think he gets off on that.”

Gimenez described Gaetz and the other Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as "a group of terrorists," according to Axios.

U.S. John Rutherford, R-Jacksonville, accused Gaetz of going after McCarthy over a "personal vendetta."

"Rep. Gaetz is driving our nation toward the brink of another government shutdown, all for clicks and cash and a boost in his national profile," Rutherford said in a press release.

DeSantis noted in a FOX News interview that Republican House members were warning before McCarthy was removed that "there's not a plan to go forward with whatever Matt Gaetz is doing."

More: 'Performative... theatrics': DeSantis questions effort to oust Kevin McCarthy

"And so I'm somebody, if I go down a road, I will deliver results for it," DeSantis added. "I'm not just going to do it and flail around. It's not going to just be about fundraising."

Other Republican leaders called Gaetz "selfish" and worse, cursing him and accusing him of helping the Democratic Party by throwing the House into chaos.

"He’s too radical, too extreme and he’s destroying the Republican Party," said Steve Vernon, a Lakewood Ranch Republican and former chair of the Republican Party of Manatee County who is known as a staunch conservative. "It’s obvious whenever the Democrats are celebrating, whenever they’re laughing, whenever they’re having a great time because of a vote, you know they did the wrong thing.”

Despite the criticism from leaders in his own party, Gaetz may have increased his status among many rank-and-file Republicans.

"Congressman Gaetz is a member highly regarded within the Florida GOP... his support is strong within the state party," said Lee County GOP Chair Michael Thompson.

Taking on McCarthy could increase Gaetz's chances of winning a statewide GOP primary, some believe.

"Love him or hate him, Congressman Gaetz did not flinch despite a tidal wave of pressure to do just that," said Max Goodman, a Florida GOP consultant. "Anybody who tells you he didn't just catapult himself to the forefront of Florida's 2026 governor's race is not being entirely honest with themselves."

Known for his sharp tongue and brash, confrontational approach, Gaetz has gained 2.5 million followers on X and has a close relationship with former President Donald Trump.

Gaetz "strongly implied several times" at a recent event in Tallahassee that he plans to run for governor, according to reporting by NBC News. Gaetz dismissed the report as "overblown clickbait," but is widely viewed as a likely candidate.

The speculation around Gaetz running for governor is a remarkable change of fortunes for an elected official who recently was being investigated by the Department of Justice over sex trafficking allegations. Gaetz's attorneys announced earlier this year that DOJ officials told them they were dropping the probe and no charges would be filed.

David Jolly, a former GOP congressman from Florida, recently told USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida that Gaetz is "a guy with nothing to lose. Which makes him very dangerous.”

“For Gaetz, very rarely does a politician get an opportunity like this to launch kind of a national brand and possibly a gubernatorial run,” Jolly said.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Matt Gaetz's Florida clout grows after toppling Speaker Kevin McCarthy