President-elect Donald Trump handed Ron DeSantis a political gift this month when he made available to him a seat in the US Senate.
Just don’t expect Florida’s governor to open it before Christmas.
One of Trump’s first big picks to fill his Cabinet was Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as secretary of state, as the newly elected president builds his nascent administration with political leaders from the state. The nomination will open up Rubio’s seat, quickly fueling speculation about who DeSantis would choose and how involved Trump, the state’s most famous resident, will be in the process.
About two weeks after Rubio’s announcement, however, DeSantis’ team is still working through its options and does not plan to raise its hand for at least a month, according to five people familiar with the process.
“The governor will conduct a thorough vetting and interview process in December that will involve several candidates,” an adviser to DeSantis told NBC News. “He is in no hurry to make an important decision.”
The governor has said he plans to make his selection in early January.
In the immediate aftermath of the Rubio pick, two schools of thought emerged: DeSantis could appoint a placeholder to serve until term limits end and then run for Senate in 2026, ahead of a likely presidential bid in 2028, or anyone could choose to file. the seat for the long term.
As for that first choice, there seems to be a solution. DeSantis is not likely to win the Senate seat in 2026 or appoint himself to that spot, which is allowed, two sources told NBC News. DeSantis does not appear ready to go to the Senate and has removed his name from the board for the time being.
“The governor is not looking for a placeholder and seems unlikely to pursue the Senate himself,” said a Florida Republican close to DeSantis’ team.
Trump allies are calling for Lara Trump to get a Senate seat soon.
The next layer of intrigue DeSantis must deal with is whether he should appease Trump and his political team by appointing Lara Trump, the president-elect’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee. Trump himself has not directly agreed, but several of his top supporters quickly mentioned Lara’s name after it became clear that Rubio’s seat would become vacant, including Elon Musk, who has been at Trump’s side since election night.
For her part, Lara Trump has done little to play down the rumors.
“If I were asked to serve in any other capacity, it would truly be my honor,” she told Fox News this weekend. “I haven’t been asked yet, but I would certainly consider it if it were presented to me.”
The Trump political team’s insistence on DeSantis appointing one of his own has once again set off a complicated dynamic between the governor and the newly elected president. The two men had a well-known allegiance after Trump endorsed DeSantis for governor in 2018, but it has since deteriorated after DeSantis unsuccessfully challenged Trump for the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination.
However, Trump has become actively involved in Florida politics, and his presence now complicates many decisions that would normally seem simpler.
“Lara Trump or not Lara Trump, that’s the biggest question for him right now,” said a longtime Florida Republican and DeSantis ally. “It’s clear that Trump and his world want Lara Trump, but so does he [DeSantis] do that? Will he collapse? It is unclear.”
The lens through which DeSantis views the decision is relatively simple: 2028.
If DeSantis gives Trump his choice, he is less likely to face fierce opposition from the MAGA base during another potential presidential run. Conversely, if he takes a dig at the president-elect, it could signal an erosion of the public truce the two parties have built since DeSantis left the presidential race in January.
“It colors everything,” said the Florida officer close to DeSantis. “If you believe it’s important not to thwart Trump, and I think most would agree, then all of these things have to be viewed through that.”
If DeSantis decides not to pick Lara Trump, there are a growing number of potential state-level candidates on the current shortlist, including Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Attorney General Ashley Moody, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Renner, Secretary of State Cord Byrd, former House Speaker Jose Oliva and DeSantis chief of staff James Uthmeier.
All have been staunch DeSantis allies and well-known Florida Republicans who are likely to pass the interview and vetting process. Moody in particular has fueled speculation because Uthmeier, a lawyer and top political and policy adviser to DeSantis, has expressed interest in being appointed Florida attorney general.
“He’s been pretty open about it, and it’s not a very well-kept secret,” said a longtime Florida lobbyist covering Uthmeier. “No idea if he will get there, but it is clear where he wants to go.”
Uthmeier did not respond to a request for comment on the attorney general’s proposal for this article.
DeSantis is not considering any Republicans from Florida’s congressional delegation, largely because of the Republican Party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives — a margin that has been further narrowed as Trump has picked lawmakers for his administration, including Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as national security advisor. He also initially nominated former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general; Gaetz has since withdrew his name from consideration and said he will not return to Congress next year.
“I don’t think DeSantis wants to have influence over the Republican majority,” said a DeSantis ally familiar with his thinking. “If there is one [Florida] member of Congress is being considered, I don’t know who that is.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
