So long as the Constitution remains as written, conservatives will have to find a new presidential frontrunner to replace Donald Trump on the 2028 ballot. But options, so far, seem scant.

An obvious choice would be Vice President JD Vance, who has emerged as a “clear favorite” in the race, per The New York Post. Most vice presidents in recent decades have attempted a run for the presidency (19 out of 49 prior veeps have shot their shot), with a third of them actually making it to the White House. But Steve Bannon, one of the far-right’s most resilient political operatives, has another possibility in mind: ex-Florida Representative Matt Gaetz.

“I don’t say this lightly. I’m a pretty good judge of horseflesh in this area,” Bannon, a former Trump adviser, told Gaetz on his podcast War Room. “If you keep doing what you’re doing, if you have interest, you’re a future president of the United States.”

“Only if you’re a future chief of staff,” Gaetz replied to Bannon.

The remarkably unpopular Florida politico lost his House seat in an unlikely gamble after Trump nominated him to serve as attorney general in November. The conveniently timed appointment—and Gaetz’s subsequent resignation—had the added benefit of killing the House investigation into Gaetz’s alleged misconduct with women and minors that include accusations of sex trafficking. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Unfortunately for Gaetz, the unsuccessful bid for Trump’s Cabinet also left him without a job, as he was forced to drop his own nomination when it became clear that Republicans weren’t going to vote for him.

Gaetz reportedly pulled his nomination just minutes after CNN reached out to the ex-lawmaker for comment on a bombshell revelation that the Ethics Committee had been notified of a second sexual encounter between Gaetz and a 17-year-old he was accused of having sex with.

In a statement following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump said he had “much respect” for the Florida politician and predicted Gaetz would have a “wonderful future.”

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