Former Florida senator Don Gaetz to run for District 1 seat

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Former state senator Don Gaetz is getting back into politics.

Gaetz confirmed to WEAR News Monday morning that he's pre-filing the paperwork to run for Senator Doug Broxson's District 1 seat. Broxson is leaving office due to term limits.

Don Gaetz -- the father of Northwest Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz -- told WEAR News on Monday that he's ready to be involved in helping Florida face some of its biggest issues.

"We become the low tax state and that's great, but we're the high electric bill state and we're the high property insurance state if you can get it," he said. "We're the high housing-cost state and of course gas and grocery prices and other things are high as well."

Gaetz says some of these issues can be controlled and managed at the state levels. He says he also plans to prepare the workforce through career technical education.

From 2006 to 2016, Don Gaetz served as a member of the Florida Senate. He was Senate President from 2012 to 2014.

Before getting into state politics, Don Gaetz was elected as a member of the Okaloosa County School Board and then school superintendent, taking the district to number one in the state.

This is a developing story. Check back here for more updates.