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The impending vacancy successful the Senate pursuing President-elect Trump’s planned information of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) for caput of State is already sparking speculation astir who volition beryllium his successor.
If Trump goes guardant with nominating Rubio arsenic the U.S.’s apical envoy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would beryllium tasked with appointing a replacement for him successful the precocious chamber. There volition past beryllium a peculiar predetermination for the spot successful 2026. A fig of names person already been floated, including DeSantis’s main of staff, the state’s lieutenant governor, the state’s lawyer wide and adjacent Florida archetypal woman Casey DeSantis.
The determination to regenerate Rubio could person a concatenation absorption successful the state’s governmental circles arsenic Republicans, including DeSantis, support their ain governmental futures successful mind.
“Honestly, I conscionable don’t spot however a succession program does not impact a DeSantis, peculiarly Ron DeSantis,” said 1 Republican strategist.
On Tuesday, Capitol Hill was abuzz with a fig of antithetic names. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt (R) floated Trump’s girl in-law and Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump to capable the role.
A root acquainted with the substance told The Hill that DeSantis’s apical aide, James Uthmeier, is favored for the position. Other candidates see Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez and authorities Attorney General Ashley Moody.
The root added that President-elect Trump whitethorn propulsion for his daughter-in-law for the position.
One of the large questions surrounds DeSantis and what helium plans to bash adjacent aft his word arsenic politician ends successful 2026. While helium did not clinch the Republican statesmanlike information this cycle, the 46-year-old politician is inactive seen arsenic a rising prima wrong the GOP. A 2nd statesmanlike tally is not retired of the question, and the Republican strategist argued that they could spot the Senate arsenic a launching pad for DeSantis.
“You’ve got to person a perch,” the strategist said. “Remember, radical hide astir you existent quick.”
“What, are you going to locomotion retired of the governor’s mansion and commencement moving for president?” the strategist added. “How are you going to get oxygen? Because the time aft the midterms, what happens? Everyone starts moving for president.”
Sources who spoke to The Hill deliberation the politician volition sanction his ain main of unit to beryllium a placeholder for him earlier 2026.
If DeSantis were to name Uthmeier, DeSantis would person a beardown loyalist successful the spot until 2026, erstwhile a peculiar predetermination would instrumentality place. DeSantis could past theoretically tally for a afloat word that year.
There could besides beryllium a script wherever DeSantis appoints himself to the Senate seat. In bid to bash so, helium would person to resign arsenic politician and name Nunez to the governor’s mansion. Nine erstwhile governors person taken this route, including erstwhile Minnesota Gov. Wendell Anderson (D), who replaced erstwhile Vice President Walter Mondale successful the precocious enclosure aft helium was elected successful 1976.
It could beryllium a risky determination if DeSantis follows that route. Out of the 9 governors who person fundamentally appointed themselves to the Senate, lone 1 won a aboriginal election.
Others reason that DeSantis does not request to beryllium successful the Senate successful bid to motorboat a 2028 statesmanlike bid, noting that the adjacent statesmanlike run volition footwear disconnected close aft the 2026 midterms. DeSantis launched his statesmanlike bid successful May of 2023, portion erstwhile U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley launched her bid successful February 2023.
Additionally, DeSantis would apt privation to stress his enforcement relation arsenic politician of Florida.
But with Trump lone being capable to service 1 much term, it’s unclear what a 2028 Republican superior would look similar with Vice President-elect JD Vance arsenic the heir apparent.
“JD Vance whitethorn honestly beryllium the archetypal Republican vice president since George H. W. Bush who whitethorn really person a credible accidental astatine the mode things are going,” the Republican strategist said.
Other Republicans propulsion acold h2o connected the conception that a imaginable Vance statesmanlike bid would hinder different figures, similar DeSantis, from launching their ain bids successful 2028.
The speculation comes arsenic Florida has played a cardinal relation successful the 2nd Trump modulation aft important gains for the GOP successful 2022 and 2024. In summation to Rubio appearing connected way to beryllium nominated for caput of State, Trump besides nominated Florida Rep. Mike Waltz (R) to service arsenic his nationalist information adviser.
Additionally, Trump's Mar-a-Lago location successful Palm Beach has served arsenic the halfway of the transition, with seasoned Florida governmental operative and incoming White House main of unit Susie Wiles astatine the reins. Meanwhile, Rubio’s workfellow Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is launching his ain bid for Senate bulk leader, receiving enactment from a fig of Trump allies, including Elon Musk.
“The lone happening we don’t person is simply a House Speaker from Florida,” the GOP strategist quipped.
