Who could be Florida’s next senator after Lara Trump bows out of consideration?

Dec 23, 2024

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Roey Hadar (Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

Lara Trump announced over the weekend that she will remove herself from consideration for a potentially open Senate seat in Florida. The former Republican National Committee chair and wife of President-elect Donald Trump’s son, Eric, was her father-in-law’s apparent first choice.

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But the president-elect suggested last week that it was unlikely Gov. Ron DeSantis would appoint her.

“Ron is going to have to make that decision and he’ll make the right decision,” Donald Trump said. “I also know that Lara’s got so many other things. I mean, she’s got so many other things. People want her to be on television. They want to give her contracts.”

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Lara Trump teased a “big announcement” in January 2025. While she hasn’t shared details, she previously considered a 2022 Senate run in her home state of North Carolina.

DeSantis now has an opportunity to elevate someone to a prominent role in an influential state for the Republican Party. Sen. Marco Rubio plans to resign the seat if the Senate confirms him to be Donald Trump’s Secretary of State.

Since winning the election, Donald Trump has picked multiple Florida officials for high-level posts, including Rep. Michael Waltz as national security adviser and former Florida state Attorney General Pam Bondi to be the U.S. attorney general –– the second Floridian tapped for the position after Matt Gaetz removed himself from the running in November.

So, who could be some of the alternatives? Reporting suggests it will probably be someone with political experience in Florida.

Current Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, former Florida State House Speaker Jose Oliva and James Uthmeier, the governor’s chief of staff, may be candidates.

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez also has two chances to rise in the ranks. She’s an option for DeSantis to appoint to the Senate. But if DeSantis resigns and appoints himself to the seat, Núñez would become governor.

Anybody not appointed to the seat could run for it in a special election set for 2026. With Rubio likely leaving the Senate and DeSantis term-limited out as governor, two major Florida roles will be on the ballot that year.

Tags: Donald Trump, Florida, Lara Trump, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, U.S. Senate

LAUREN TAYLOR: Lara Trump announced over the weekend that she will remove herself from consideration for Florida’s likely open Senate seat.

The former Republican National Committee chair and wife of President-elect Trump’s son Eric was her father-in-law’s apparent first choice. But the President-elect suggested last week that it was unlikely that Gov. Ron DeSantis would appoint her.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: Ron’s going to have to make that decision and he’ll make the right decision. I also know that Lara’s got so many other things, I mean, she’s got so many other things people want her to be on television. They want to give her contracts.

LAUREN TAYLOR: Lara Trump teased a major announcement in January. While she hasn’t shared details, she previously flirted with a Senate run in her home state of North Carolina in 2022.

DeSantis now has an opportunity to elevate someone to a very prominent role in an influential state for the Republican Party.

Sen. Marco Rubio plans to resign the seat if the Senate confirms him to be President-elect Trump’s Secretary of State.

Trump has picked multiple Florida officials for high-level posts, including Rep. Michael Waltz as National Security Adviser and former Florida state Attorney General Pam Bondi to be the U.S. Attorney General.

So who could be some of the alternatives? The reporting out there suggests it will probably be someone with political experience in Florida already.

Current Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody may be a candidate, as might former Florida State House Speaker Jose Oliva, and James Uthmeier, the governor’s chief of staff.

Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Núñez also has two chances to rise in the ranks. She’s an option for DeSantis to appoint to the Senate. But if DeSantis resigns and appoints himself to the seat, Núñez would become governor.

Anybody not appointed to the seat could run for it in a special election that would occur in 2026. With Rubio likely leaving the Senate and DeSantis term-limited out as governor, two major Florida roles will be on the ballot that year.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Lauren Taylor.

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