Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., joked — potentially with a tinge of a serious consideration — he could not get confirmed to be President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general by the Senate, so perhaps if he cannot beat them, he will just join them.
"It seems I may not have had enough support in the United States Senate: Maybe I'll just run for Marco Rubio's vacant seat in the United States Senate and join some of those folks," Gaetz told the Turning Point Action's America Fest in a speech Sunday morning.
Gaetz seemingly made the comment in jest as he also rejected Steve Bannon's idea suggesting he just return to the House as representative-elect of Florida's 1st Congressional District.
"I had to remind Steve when he got out of prison, he didn't punch a guard on the way out," Gaetz continued. "For the moment I will enjoy being one of you."
Gaetz said that being a U.S. citizen is a powerful thing. He pointed out former President James Madison — a constitutional founder — agreed when he said it was "the most powerful position" in America.
"Not that of congressman, senator, or even president, but that of American citizen, because we put such an obligation on the citizenry to ignite the patriotism that the country needs," Gaetz said.
Gaetz led into his tease to run for Senate in Florida by saying he received many suggestions on what do to after leaving Congress amid Monday's report from the House Ethics Committee.
"Many have asked which perch I will be fighting from next," Gaetz began with some laughs. "And some of you throughout this conference have even given me a few suggestions. My fellow Floridians have asked me to eye the governor's mansion in Tallahassee. Maybe special counsel to go after the insider trading for my former colleagues in Congress."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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