U.S. Consultant Matt Gaetz (R-FL) issues General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers and Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin all through a Home Armed Expert services Committee hearing on “Ending the U.S. Military Mission in Afghanistan” in the Rayburn House Business office Constructing in Washington, September 29, 2021.
Rod Lamkey | Pool | Reuters
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz will fend off his most important challengers, clearing his path to another expression representing his deep-pink Florida Panhandle district in Congress, NBC Information projected.
Gaetz experienced appear underneath hearth in the major from veteran and previous FedEx executive Mark Lombardo, who sought to highlight the controversial congressman’s many scandals — including being embroiled in a federal sexual intercourse-trafficking investigation.
“Mail this Maritime to Washington. I’ll respect your spouse and children,” Lombardo mentioned in one particular of a lot of ads attacking Gaetz, who has not been charged and who denies allegations of wrongdoing.
Gaetz, who has served in the 1st Congressional District considering the fact that 2017, has extended been a single of previous President Donald Trump’s loudest supporters. But he obtained Trump’s endorsement just a few days before the day of the primary election.
Lombardo, between salvos in opposition to “Lyin’ Matt Gaetz” for his remarks about gals and his missed votes in Congress, has discovered himself as a Trump-allied “The us 1st” conservative.
In the operate-up to the principal, Lombardo seized on Gaetz’s deficiency of an endorsement from Trump, questioning in an advert whether Gaetz was an “informant” who led the FBI to raid Trump’s Palm Seashore resort dwelling Mar-a-Lago.
Tiny polling was out there ahead of the key, but Gaetz, an incumbent who considerably outraised and outspent Lombardo, was thought of the likely favorite. Lombardo experienced self-funded the huge vast majority of his campaign as of early August, marketing campaign finance filings display.
Gaetz is predicted to breeze to victory in November in the district, which has not been represented by a Democrat in just about three decades.
