The resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general under President-elect Donald Trump has triggered a significant political shake-up in Northwest Florida. Gaetz, a prominent and often controversial GOP figure, leaves behind a contested congressional seat, prompting a scramble among local political figures to fill the vacancy. Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered an expedited special election, and contenders across the district are positioning themselves for a high-stakes contest.
The special election process will involve a primary followed by a general election. DeSantis has instructed Secretary of State Cord Byrd to announce the schedule as soon as possible. Though expedited, the process will require several weeks to complete, and candidates are already making their moves.
"The short timeline will create significant logistical challenges for local supervisors of elections," Jacob Shively, a political science professor at the University of West Florida, said. "They'll need to be able to get ballots printed and get polling stations prepared and so forth. So that may be the slowest part of the process—getting those logistics squared away."
Shively added that the compressed timeline will benefit candidates with established name recognition and resources, as they can more effectively rally their supporters.
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