Gov. Ron DeSantis canceled a scheduled appearance Wednesday at the Florida Power & Light Northwest Florida Economic Symposium, but lobbyist Darrick McGhee provided the attendees with a Florida legislative update that included what happens if DeSantis runs for the Republican presidential nomination.
Florida law currently says state officeholders must resign their positions if they run for a federal office. McGhee said he expects DeSantis to seek the nomination and for lawmakers to pass a bill that ensures he remains governor unless he is elected president.
“What will end up happening is the governor will not have to resign his seat as sitting governor to run for president,” said McGhee, chief operating officer for the lobbying firm Johnson & Blanton LLC. “…Nothing really changes other than he’ll now be a sitting governor running nationally for president, as well, but nothing will change via law or constitution. You will only see a change if he is successful in November of next year as far as winning the presidency.”
On Sunday, Fox News released a poll that showed Republican primary voters favored former President Donald Trump over DeSantis. Trump received 43% of the vote, followed by DeSantis at 28%. Some polls indicate the opposite with DeSantis ahead of Trump by double-digit percentage points in some instances.
If DeSantis was elected president in November 2024, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez would be sworn in and act as governor for the remainder of the term. DeSantis’ term expires two years after the presidential election. McGhee said Núñez would then have the option to appoint a lieutenant governor or leave that office vacant.
“Albeit a running mate, the authority of the lieutenant governor is given to him or her by the governor,” he said.
McGhee said if DeSantis were elected president, there would be no shortage of candidates for governor in 2026. He said he could name six off the top of his head, but he declined to share who they are with the audience.
“I can tell you there will be a lot of people considering running because it will be an open ticket,” he said.
Does the resign-to-run law, if change, does that mean that any setting office hold DOES NOT HAVE TO RESIGN in order to seek another office while retaining his/her current elected office, or does only apply to republicans????
We already have a national reputation beyond Florida, CJ. It’s just not the one you’re imagining.
It’s instead the reputation of being a growing haven for autocracy and power-hungry megalomaniacs, including a governor that has rendered our legislature his banana republic; instituted an oligarchy of campaign donors gifted with positions they don’t have the slightest idea how to execute; legislated racism, bigotry, and White nationalism into policy; reduced our government and rule of law into an unconstitutional clown show; executed dictatorial control over our police and justice systems; and pretended to care about the welfare of children, while driving policy that increases the threat of suicide for LGBTQ kids and gun laws that guarantee more rather than less bloodshed of children.
Our nationwide renown includes the hallmark of any really stellar fascist state, a sea of craven and sycophantic elected officials masquerading as pillars of morality in front of a brainwashed cult following who mistakes their own willfully obsessed servitude for freedom of choice.
What reputation was it that you are hoping Florida gain nationwide with DeSantis as senator?
Here would be an “interesting” twist. Imagine if the Florida Legislature does change the resign-to-run law so that for one-time in 2024 it does not apply to the Governor. Then imagine if DeSantis instead runs for the Senate. Who would Trump support – DeSantis or Scott? DeSantis would be a spectacular senator. After being reelected in 2030, he could run for President in 2032 and by then would have a national reputation far beyond Florida. In 2032, DeSantis would only be 54 years old and having served in the Navy, House, Senate and been a Governor. As for a prospective Governor Nunez, with DeSantis’ backing she’d be a formidable candidate for governor in 2026. Imagine if she picked as her Lieutenant Governor and 2026 running mate someone like State Senator Doug Broxson.