Ron DeSantis addresses a crowd while President Donald Trump watches at a rally in Tampa, Florida – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by jctabb
With the responsibility of selecting Rubio’s Senate successor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has once again found himself in the national spotlight following President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
The nomination was formally announced by Trump on Wednesday afternoon. DeSantis might select a strong candidate who could serve as an incumbent or a stand-in who would be replaced by the electorate in a 2026 special election.
“If I were giving DeSantis advice, I would tell him to appoint an explicit caretaker to fill out the remainder of Rubio’s term… and then let voters choose who they want without his thumb on the scale,” said veteran GOP strategist and lobbyist Mac Stipanovich.
When Rubio’s tenure ends in 2028, there will be another election, and the victor of the 2026 election will only hold office for two years.
According to people close to the governor, DeSantis has not given the issue much thought and is not in a rush, despite the fact that social media has been roiling with speculation about who he would choose for days. According to the sources, he didn’t anticipate Rubio being selected for the position because he is spending the entire week in Italy on a trade mission.
Bryan Griffin, the governor’s spokesperson, promised to “let you know when we have something to share on that topic.”
However, people close to DeSantis say that James Uthmeier, his chief of staff, who is going to Italy this week on a trade mission, would be the front-runner if DeSantis had to select a replacement for Rubio today. He would probably be a caregiver.
One of the governor’s most dependable and devoted confidants, Uthmeier has helped DeSantis with a number of challenging assignments. In order to help DeSantis defeat ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for recreational use and repeal the restriction on abortions after six weeks, he chaired two committees that solicited money. Additionally, last year he chaired DeSantis’ unsuccessful GOP presidential primary campaign.
“The governor everyone said was a lame duck is getting more powerful by the minute,” Florida Republican strategist Anthony Pedicini told Politico, despite DeSantis’ suspension of his candidacy and endorsement of Trump dismissing him as a national possibility.
When former Governor Charlie Crist nominated his former chief of staff, George Lemieux, to fill a senate vacancy following Orlando’s abrupt resignation of Mel Martinez in 2009, he discovered that selecting the chief of staff doesn’t always work out.
In 2010, Crist had planned to run for the office himself, but Rubio defeated him and received Lemieux’s support.
Stipanovich said that Crist was betrayed when he appointed Lemieux.
Other candidates to succeed Rubio include Attorney General Ashley Moody, a fervent supporter of DeSantis who has defended his divisive policies in court; former House Speaker Jose Oliva, a Cuban American from South Florida; and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, a close friend of Rubio who has been loyal to DeSantis and would be the first female Cuban American in the U.S. Senate.
There has been no formal request, according to sources in the DeSantis camp, despite Trump fans using social media to advocate for his daughter-in-law Lara Trump’s appointment to the U.S. Senate.
Even though First Lady Casey DeSantis has stated that she has no political aspirations of that nature, there is a suggestion that DeSantis may name his own wife.
DeSantis, whose tenure as governor expires in 2026, may also choose to name himself. However, DeSantis stated during his presidential campaign a year ago that he had no interest in serving in the Senate or the House.
According to Aubrey Jewett, a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida, “based on his public statements, he is an executive type of guy and doesn’t see himself in the Senate or House.”
According to Jewett, DeSantis receives a lot of media attention for his public statements and actions as governor of the third-largest state in the union, which also happens to be Trump’s adoptive home. He wouldn’t receive that as a low-ranking senator in the Senate, which has 100 members.
“It is more difficult to maintain public attention as a senator,” Jewett stated.
DeSantis stated at a recent event held at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, that he had no immediate plans to run for any other post.
“I have a fantastic job in the state of Florida. How can I change things the most effectively? Given our current situation, I believe that my ability to quarterback Sunshine State is likely what will have the most impact.
“The optics look bad, so it’s unlikely that DeSantis would appoint himself,” Jewett added.
He claimed that self-appointed politicians are often disliked by the public.
Furthermore, he doesn’t think DeSantis’ 2026 Senate campaign makes sense.
Jewett stated, “He should finish his second term as governor strongly before committing himself to a full-time presidential campaign.”
“He hasn’t given up on his dream of becoming president.”
Stories that matter are our priority. At Florida Insider, we make sure that the information we provide our readers is accurate, easy-to-read, and informative. Whether you are interested in business, education, government, history, sports, real estate, nature or travel: we have something for everyone. Follow along for the best stories in the Sunshine State.
Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
