The struggle to replace Ron Desantis in Florida is switched on, characterized by jockeying with Trump

Tallahasse, Florida – Florida Governor Ron Desantis does not leave almost two years old, but the fight to replace him has already triggered intensive jockeying among the Republicans – and set up a proxy fight between Desantis and President Donald Trump.

MP Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Was the first known Republican to enter the race, but the open governor is almost with sure that additional, well-financed primary seeds. It seems increasingly that the opposition could come from one of the most famous republicans of the state both in the call and in the last name of Casey Desantis.

The state's top-class First Lady has already said that she was mentioning a run to replace her husband and started a round behind the scenes, while the political machine was trying to slow down Donalds from Donalds, who quickly took Trump's approval in Florida in Florida last year.

According to a dozen experienced veterans in Florida and national republicans who were interviewed by NBC News, the efforts that Donalds' early front leader were demolished became a list of great republican donors who have already approved Donalds, as well as direct calls to Trump in a recently taken place with the people who are responsible. Some supporters of Desantis say that the ultimate goal is to either prevent Trump from being committed to the race or get him to take the rare step of making a double confirmation of what the president has done in the past.

“It is the big question that is taking over all of this,” said a long -standing fundraiser in Florida Gop about the discussions about Casey Desantis. “Will she or not? At the moment it's really the only question that counts. “

The early start of the campaign and the flex of the support of Donalds, a top ally of the Trump Congress, consolidated its status as a perceived front manager in the republican area code. But it also cited the more aggressive commitment of the Desantis team, including a direct appeal to Trump.

Last weekend Ron and Casey Desantis had breakfast on his West Palm Beach Golf Course, a journey that also included a round of golf – and lobbying that focused on the governor's race in 2026.

While he tried to influence Trump with the president, the governor of Florida and his wife tried not to influence Trump in order not to participate in the race that goes beyond his support for Donalds to give the race to give Casey Desantis time to officially make a decision about her political future.

A confidant Desantis supporter said that Trump said Ron and Casey that he was “unprepared” through the fact that Casey had considered a run, and he would have thought about holding a confirmation. But Top Trump consultant questioned this report. Although the meeting was friendly, she said that Trump knew what he was doing when he supported Donald, and they say the president is on the decision and will probably go beyond his initial social confirmation of the truth.

“The president does not lose. The president is loyal, ”said a Trump consultant. “As soon as he supports someone, he wants to see it. Ron Desantis knows that. “

Another said that the president was “not on the road” for the political playing field of the desantise.

Desantis advisors remain confident that they can at least keep Trump on the edge for the time being. They have increasingly talked about the idea that Trump could also issue a double confirmation, which Trump has done in the past when they are confronted with competing political imperative, including a house race in Arizona and the Senate of Missouri 2022.

“He has done it before and I think he likes Casey,” said a Republican veteran Florida, who would support Casey Desantis' offer if she runs. “I think it would be an early best case scenario.”

Trump supported Ron Desantis' successful outsider for the governor in 2018, and since then the two have had the same political relationship that has not been a political relationship between on-AWN comrades. After confirmation, they were close political allies for years before they were open to the presidential race in 2024. Trump and his team often look at things in black and white, and Desantis, who challenged Trump, was considered a political betrayal after Trump had contributed to this from Desantis.

“Can Ron Desantis afford to reveal Donald Trump again?” A national republican operational support of Donalds said. “I would think about that.”

Those who were against Donalds have found that he has never been exposed to a serious breed and therefore did not go through a significant public review as a political candidate. They indicate some public reports that Donalds was previously a registered democrat and that he had suspended criminal charges in the past with the intention of distributing and bribing, which were later rejected or wiped out, according to the news press in Fort Myers.

“I'm not sure if he is ready for what's coming,” said a Republican employee based on Desantis. “I don't think he can withstand the rush if a large headlight is put on his past.”

There was also a quiet struggle for large donors about the advance of securing Trump's important political support, many of which have already promised public support for Donalds.

Last month, Donalds published the names of dozens of GOP supporters, including Tech billionaire (and Trump White House Adviser) David Sacks; Major Republican donor Dick Uihlein; And Steve Witkoff, who is currently acting as Trump's special representative in the Middle East. Trump used the truth to strengthen the list of supporters of Donalds.

Some of the names on the list were past political supporters and donors from Ron Desantis, who still often speak to many of them. In the past few weeks, the governor has called on some of them to point out that Casey Desantis seriously considered a campaign and is trying to either rethink their support or at least according to three sources familiar with the calls.

Donalds' early donation numbers could play a major role in determining whether other viable republicans enter the race.

“Be [Donalds’] The fundraising number in the first quarter will be a big signal, and everyone knows that, ”said a national republican operational that is not yet involved in the race. “If he publishes a large early number, I am not sure how someone can see a real way against him.”

Casey Desantis is one of the best known first women in the history of state history. She was an outstanding part of her husband's administration and is very popular by Florida Republicans.

A survey of the University of North Florida published last month had Casey Desantis with an approval of 57% among the Republicans of Florida, while the less well -known Donalds was 27%. Other and potential Republican candidates included in the survey are former MP Matt Gaetz (33% favorable rating) and state agricultural commissioner Wilton Simpson (7% cheap). At that time, nobody but Gaetz had a significant unfavorable evaluation of the Republicans.

Gaetz is the only other great Republican who said he was mentioning a run for the governor who was first registered by Tampa Bay Times.

“It probably enjoys a certain favor of the association as a first lady in Florida,” said Michael Binder, director of the public opinion laboratory of the University of North Florida. “But most of these potential candidates suffer from a lack of recognition, some suffer more than others.”

“That means I assume that we will see some of them to become known when the primary roles rolling around in August 2026,” he added.

The survey showed that 28% of Republicans had never heard of Casey Desantis, while 60% gave the same for Donalds.

Shadow primary

Ron Desantis came out at the end of the last month when he addressed Donald's' offer for the governor.

“The reality is that we won victories in Florida,” he said during a press conference at the end of February. “I think people look at it and say that they have a man like Byron, he was simply not part of one of the victories that we have left here in the past few years.”

“He was simply not part of it,” added Ron Desantis. “He was in other states and that's okay, but okay, then results up there.”

The governor of Donalds has not attacked directly since that time, but he has excited Casey Desantis several times and, as the necessary heirs of his heir, who can continue the profits of the Republicans in Florida in Florida.

Casey Desantis did not commit himself to running, but played with the idea when he was asked.

“When you get on the street, take it,” she said last month, lending a cryptic turn of the baseball legend -yogi berra.

Donalds has not yet taken the bait. In public comments, he said that he was “very happy” with what Ron Desantis did as governor, and he had defended his own record, which includes four years in Florida's legislation.

“Byron Donalds is a proven conservative fighter and that's why he has the confirmation of President Donald J. Trump,” said Donald's spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez. “His time in Florida's legislation, in congress and in the campaign with President Trump to withdraw Joe Biden and save our great nation, proves that he has the success story and experience to build the success of the governors Rick Scott and Ron Deantis to keep Florida great.”

While the Republicans are in Florida before 2026, many in the state continue to believe that only one thing is really important if the dust settles: Trump.

“GOV. Desantis has done an enormous job for the state, but he should understand the Trump confirmation, ”said Stephen Lawson, now a Republican employee based in Georgia who has worked in the past for both Desantis and the former governor of Florida, Rick Scott, who is now a US senator. “Byron is a fighter, a winner and a proven conservative who is committed to fulfilling President Trump's agenda, three things that the president primarily appreciates.”

“He will be the candidate and the next governor,” he added. “The earlier everyone comes to this realization, the better for the party and the state.”