With Trump pledging endorsement, Florida CFO will run for Matt Gaetz’s former House seat

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis plans to run for U.S. Congress, he indicated in a resignation letter circulating online.

In the letter to Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Secretary of State Cory Byrd, Patronis said, “… this letter is to give you notice of my resignation from the role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the State of Florida in order to become a candidate in the 2025 Special Election for Florida’s First Congressional District.

“Because the primary election for CD 1 is currently scheduled for January 28, 2025, with the general election scheduled for April 1, 2025, I hereby irrevocably resign as CFO effective March 31, 2025.”

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Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis delivers remarks before Gov. Ron DeSantis took to the stage during his Don’t Tread on Florida Tour in Sarasota. (Tiffany Tompkins/Bradenton Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, President-elect Donald Trump urged Patronis to run for the House seat.

“I hear that Jimmy is now considering launching a Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District!” Trump said in the post. 

“Should he decide to enter this Race, Jimmy Patronis has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JIMMY, RUN!” Trump declared.

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Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, left, and President-elect Donald Trump. (Left: Octavio Jones/Getty Images; Right: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Patronis shared a screenshot of Trump’s post and wrote in a post on X, “Put me to work, Mr. President! @realDonaldTrump I am here to serve.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Patronis and the Florida Department of Financial Services, but has not yet received a response.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz won re-election to the House seat earlier this month, but resigned after Trump tapped him for attorney general. 

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President Joe Biden shakes hands with Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, as he meets with first responders to the collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, during a meeting in Miami Beach, Florida, on July 1, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

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Gaetz later withdrew from consideration for the role, noting in a post on X, “… it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General.”