Don Gaetz
2024 - Present
2028
0
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Don Gaetz (Republican Party) is a member of the Florida State Senate, representing District 1. He assumed office on November 5, 2024. His current term ends on November 7, 2028.
Gaetz (Republican Party) ran for election to the Florida State Senate to represent District 1. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Don Gaetz was born in Rugby, North Dakota. He earned a bachelor's degree in religion and political science from Concordia University in 1971 and a Master's of Public Administration (MPA) from Troy State University in 1999. His professional experience includes co-founding the VITAS Healthcare Corporation and serving as its vice chair from 1984 to 2004. Gaetz served as Town Chair of Seaside, Florida from 1990 to 1991, a member of the Okaloosa School Board from 1994 to 2000, and Superintendent of the Okaloosa County School District from 2000 to 2006.[1]
Florida Constitution Revision Commission
In February 2017, Gaetz was appointed to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) by Florida State Senate President Joe Negron, a Republican.[2]
The Florida Constitution Revision Commission is a 37-member commission provided for in the state constitution that reviews and proposes changes to the Florida Constitution.[3] The CRC refers constitutional amendments directly to the ballot for a public vote.[4] The commission convenes every 20 years.[3] Members of the commission travel to different parts of Florida to perform research and receive public testimony before recommending these ballot measures.[5]
The Constitution Revision Commission of 2017-2018 was composed of 37 members. Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, appointed 15 members of the CRC. President of the Florida Senate, Joe Negron (R), appointed nine members. Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, Richard Corcoran (R) appointed nine members. Jorge Labarga, chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, appointed three members.[6]
Committee assignments
2025-2026
Gaetz was assigned to the following committees:
- Ethics and Elections Committee, Chair
- Finance and Tax Committee
- Health Policy Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
- Joint Administrative Procedures Committee
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2015-2016
In the 2015-2016 legislative session, Gaetz served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Education Pre-K - 12 |
| • Ethics and Elections |
| • Health Policy |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Gaetz served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Reapportionment, Chair |
| • Budget |
| • Commerce and Tourism |
| • Health Regulation |
| • Rules |
| • Joint Legislative Budget Commission |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Gaetz served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Education Pre-K - 12 |
| • Health and Human Services Appropriations |
| • Health Regulation |
| • Rules |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Florida State Senate District 1
Don Gaetz defeated Lisa Newell in the general election for Florida State Senate District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Don Gaetz (R) | 64.6 | 187,431 |
 | Lisa Newell (D)  | 35.4 | 102,905 | |
| Total votes: 290,336 | |||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Lisa Newell advanced from the Democratic primary for Florida State Senate District 1.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Don Gaetz advanced from the Republican primary for Florida State Senate District 1.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
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2012
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2012
Gaetz won election in the 2012 election for Florida State Senate District 1. Gaetz ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012, and was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Don Gaetz Incumbent |
74.4% | 160,016 | |
| Independent | Richard Harrison | 25.6% | 55,018 | |
| Total Votes | 215,034 | |||
2010
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2010
Gaetz won re-election to the 4th District seat in 2010. He did not face any opposition in the August 24 primary. The general election took place on November 2, 2010. No Democrats filed to run for the District 4 seat.[8]
2006
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Gaetz won election to the 4th District Seat in the Florida State Senate. Gaetz was unopposed and raised $724,128 for his campaign.[9]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Don Gaetz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy endorsements
2012
Don Gaetz endorsed Rick Perry in the 2012 presidential election.[10]
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Florida scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Florida State Legislature was in session from January 12 through March 11.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 3 through May 1.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 3 through May 5.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 5 through May 3.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Gaetz and his wife, Victoria, have two children.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Florida State Senate District 1 |
Officeholder Florida State Senate District 1 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Florida State Senate, "Don Gaetz," accessed February 11, 2025
- ↑ Partnership for Revising Florida's Constitution, "CRC Appointments," accessed June 5, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Florida Legislature, "The Florida Constitution," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ D'Alemberte, T. (2016). The Florida State Constitution. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- ↑ Holland & Knight, "Anna Marie Hernandez Gamez Appointed to Florida's Constitution Revision Commission," accessed May 23, 2017
- ↑ Florida Constitution Revision Commission, 2017-2018, "Commissioners," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed April 15, 2012
- ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "November 2, 2010, Election Results," November 2, 2010
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2006 Senate District 4 Election Results," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Gaetz endorses Perry for president," August 30, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Doug Broxson (R) |
Florida State Senate District 1 2024-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Florida State Senate District 1 2012-2016 |
Succeeded by Doug Broxson (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Florida State Senate District 4 2006-2012 |
Succeeded by Aaron Bean (R) |
