Matt Gaetz Bio | Wiki
Matt Gaetz (Matthew Louis Gaetz II) is a well-known American lawyer and politician who has been serving as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 1st congressional district since 2017. As a member of the Republican Party, his district covers an extensive portion of the western Florida Panhandle, including his hometown Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, Pensacola, and Destin.
Gaetz has represented Florida’s 4th House district in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016, which involves most of Okaloosa County. In the year 2016, he was elected to the U.S. House and later re-elected by wide margins in the years 2018 and 2020.
Matt Gaetz Age
He was born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida, in the United States. Gaetz is 41 years old.
Matt Gaetz Height
He is a man of average stature. Gaetz stands at a height of 5 ft 7 in (Approx 1.7 m).
Matt Gaetz Family
He was born to his parents Don Gaetz (father) and Victoria Gaetz (mother). Gaetz has a younger sister named Erin Gaetz who was a director of digital content for Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign in 2016. His father who was a representative represented parts of Northwest Florida as a member of the Florida State Senate from 2006 to 2016 and was also a Senate president from 2012 to 2014.
His grandfather Stanley Jerome Gaetz mostly known as “Jerry” was the mayor of Rugby, North Dakota, as well as a candidate for lieutenant governor of North Dakota. Gaetz’s grandfather suffered a heart attack which led to his death. He is a descendant of Phillip Goetz, who moved from Germany to Minnesota and was named after Matthias Louis Gaetz, his great-grandfather.
Matt Gaetz Dad | Father
His dad Don Gaetz was born on January 22, 1948, in Rugby, North Dakota, and is a Politician who was a member of the Florida State Senate from 2006 to 2016. During that time, Don represented parts of Northwest Florida. In addition, he was also a Senate president for two years from 2012 to 2014.
Don received his bachelor’s degree in Religion and Political Science from the Evangelical Lutheran-affiliated Concordia College. He later earned his master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy State University prior to relocating to the State of Florida in 1978.
Matt Gaetz Wife
He is married to his lovely wife named Ginger Luckey, sister to Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus VR and a great Republican donor. Gaetz announced his engagement with his girlfriend in December 2020. They later exchanged their wedding vows in August 2021.
Matt Gaetz Son | Adopted Son
He introduced his son Nestor Galban on air after a fellow congressman who lessened the contribution of Republicans claiming that they don’t raise nonwhite kids. Nestor immigrated from Cuba to Florida where he moved in with Gaetz at the age of 12 after his mother succumbed to breast cancer. Though not fully adopted, he has raised Nestor for six years now.
Matt Gaetz Dui
Gaetz was arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence and exceeding the allowed speed limit in Okaloosa Island, Florida, where he drove at 13mph. In addition, he also refused to take the breathalyzer test and failed the eye test two times.
Although he was arrested, Gaetz was not convicted. As stated by the law, his license was supposed to be suspended for one year. However, that did not happen due to the intervention of his powerful father. In addition, he received 16 speeding tickets in his home state between the years 1999 and 2014.
Matt Gaetz Possible Sex Trafficking
In March 2021, Gaetz was under investigation on whether he went against the federal sex trafficking laws by having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paying for her to travel along with him. However, this case was closed in February 2023, without charges.
Rep Matt Gaetz
After Ray Sansom’s Republican state representative resignation on corruption charges in February 2020, representative Matt Gaetz ran in the special election to supersede Sansom in the 4th district which included Okaloosa County and southern Santa Rosa County. In a packed Republican primary that involved Kabe Woods, Bill Garvie, Jerry G. Melvin, and Craig Barker, Gaetz attained 43% of the vote. He conquered Democratic nominee Jan Fernald in the special general election with 66% of the vote.
Throughout his campaign, Gaetz obtained roughly $480,000 in contributions, which was almost five times more than anyone else in the campaign, and nearly 50 times more than Fernald. In the year 2010, he was unopposed for a full term. Following the reconfiguration of Florida House of Representatives districts in 2012, Gaetz’s district no longer consisted of any of Santa Rosa County. He was then re-elected unopposed in the years 2012 and 2014.
During his term in the statehouse, he and Joe Negro, the State Senate proposed legislation that would quicken the implementation of many inmates on Florida’s death row by needing the government to sign a death warrant for those who had worn out all their appeals. In addition, he united with State Senate Greg Evers in proposing the legislation to do away with the federal ethanol content directive that 10% of gasoline sold in Florida consists of ethanol. The legislation was signed in May 2013 by Governor Rick Scott.
Gaetz was among the two members to vote in opposition to the Florida bill against revenge porn in 2015 after he managed to successfully block the bill beforehand.
Matt Gaetz Salary
He makes quite an impressive amount from his field of professionalism as a lawyer as well as his political position. Gaetz’s average salary is $174,000 annually.
Matt Gaetz Net Worth
He has managed to accumulate good fortune over years of hard work and commitment. Gaetz’s estimated net worth is $25 million.
How Old Is Matt Gaetz
Gaetz is 41 years old. He was born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida, USA.
Is Matt Gaetz Married
He married his wife Ginger Luckey in August 2021. Gaetz announced his engagement to Ginger in December 2020.
Where Does Matt Gaetz Live
He currently lives in Fort Walton Beach, Florida together with his wife Ginger Luckey.