Rep. Matt Gaetz defeats Kevin McCarthy-backed GOP primary challenger

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., won his primary Tuesday, NBC News projects, handing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy a final defeat on his revenge tour. 

Gaetz defeated Navy veteran Aaron Dimmock, who was backed by McCarthy, R-Calif., in the deeply Republican 1st District on the Florida Panhandle.

McCarthy and his allies had targeted Gaetz, along with other Republicans who voted to oust him from the speakership late last year. McCarthy was able to claim only one win, helping to defeat House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., this summer. Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Eli Crane of Arizona also fended off primary challenges after they voted to oust McCarthy. 

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A McCarthy-aligned super PAC called Florida Patriots PAC spent $3.5 million on ads against Gaetz, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact. The group ran ads referring to an ongoing Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz over allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct. Gaetz has dismissed the investigation as “frivolous.”

But in a sign that Gaetz was in a strong position heading into the primary, Florida Patriots PAC stopped spending in the race three weeks ago.

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Gaetz also got a boost from former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him. Gaetz touted the endorsement on the airwaves, with one TV ad featuring audio of Trump saying Gaetz is “a very good person, and he’s a very capable man. You ever watch this guy on television? Like a machine. He’s great. He loves Florida, and he loves the country.”

McCarthy is betting his effort was not completely in vain, suggesting that it could have dinged Gaetz if he decides to run for statewide office someday. 

“I don’t think he’ll ever be able to run for governor like he wants to,” McCarthy said at last month’s Republican convention, according to The Independent.