Kissimmee, Florida - Far-right Congressman Matt Gaetz has made a name for himself as an outspoken MAGA Republican, but is he ready to run for governor in his home state of Florida?

Is Governor Gaetz on the way?

On Friday, the consulting firm Kaplan Strategies released the results of a poll they conducted in February ahead of Florida's 2026 Republican Gubernatorial Primary, which found that Gaetz has an early lead in the race, despite the fact he hasn't even entered it yet.

Among 1,151 registered Republican voters polled, Gaetz was the front-runner with 16% support, while fellow Congressman Byron Donalds and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moodey followed, earning 13% and 10%, support respectively.

Vladimir Putin Putin says he's ready to meet President-elect Trump at "any time"

Gaetz, who has been representing Florida's 1st District since 2017, has established himself in the US House as a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, which seems to be doing him favors among GOP voters.

Though he has faced heavy criticism from his colleagues for leading the effort to vote out House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, he managed to lead in favorability across various Florida voter demographics.

The poll also found that 63% of voters identify themselves as "MAGA Republicans" and Trump holds an 82% favorability rating, indicating that an endorsement from the former president could very well help secure Gaetz's chances if he decides to run.

The positive results for Gaetz come as he is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee regarding multiple criminal allegations against him, including sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Despite this, Gaetz has reportedly teased interest in a possible gubernatorial run during campaign events, but has yet to do so when speaking to the press.

The results also come on the heels of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' failed presidential run, which could leave the perfect opening for Gaetz to thrive.