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Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ron DeSantis' Wife Casey May Try to Replace Him as Florida's Governor When He Terms Out
Florida's first lady, Casey DeSantis, is considering her own gubernatorial run in 2026 as her husband, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, wraps his final term in office, NBC News reports. Following a discussion between major Republican donors last week, Casey's name is reportedly in the mix as a strong contender to replace her husband in the state house. Five sources close to Casey and the donors each told NBC that she's giving the idea some serious thought. "I have heard donors have been urging her to run and that while it's not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen," a source familiar with her thinking said. Related: Ron DeSantis' 'Sassy' Press Briefing Moment Gets the Meme Treatment from LGBTQ+ Content Creators Casey, 44, has been active in her husband's administration, leading initiatives addressing mental health and substance abuse. On the Conservative Review podcast in May 2024, Casey addressed calls for her to follow her husband into Florida's highest office. 'I will tell you this, when people talk about me running for governor, I think it speaks highly about the governor himself,' she said. 'I think when people see me, it is because they are so happy about everything that this governor has done for the state of Florida." Related: Ron DeSantis Defends New Florida Curriculum to Teach Slavery's 'Benefit,' Says 'Scholars' Are Behind It Casey shares three children with Ron and is a recent breast cancer survivor. Ron shared that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer in October 2021, and shortly after the news was made public, Casey appeared alongside her husband to give a message of strength. "There's a lot that we can be upset about, that we be sad about — the direction of our country, the future of our nation, our families, our communities, our safety, our children, their education, their futures, our health and our well being," she continued. "I'll tell you one thing that is for sure. I'm sure as hell not giving up." Following chemotherapy and surgery, she was declared cancer-free in March 2022. Florida's 2026 gubernatorial race has already seen a few other notable names get buzz. Rep. Byron Donalds, a close ally of President Donald Trump in Congress, has previously expressed interest in the position, as has embattled former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has remained a staunch Trump supporter amid his numerous recent scandals. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is also reportedly considering the role — with more than $30 million, NBC reported, he would be poised to be the most well-funded candidate. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ron DeSantis' Wife Casey Mulls Running to Replace Him as Florida Governor, Insiders Say
Speculation is once again mounting that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, is considering running to succeed him in 2026. The topic was brought up at a gathering of Republican donors in Palm Beach County last week, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing five people 'directly familiar' with the event and the Florida first lady's thought process. The Florida governor is set to leave office in early 2027 as he faces term limits, and his wife, a former news anchor, has often been floated as his potential successor—although the pair have both previously brushed off the possibility. Ohio native Casey DeSantis, 44, stood by her husband's side throughout his campaign trail as he vied for the U.S. presidency. Republican donors think she'd be a great fit for the position, insiders said. 'I would say this: I have heard donors have been urging her to run and that while it's not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen,' one source familiar with Casey DeSantis' thinking told NBC News. Another source with knowledge of the conversations told the news outlet 'it is a real possibility' that the Florida first lady could run for office, but said they're unsure whether it's a 'probable scenario.' The Daily Beast has reached out to Gov. DeSantis' office for comment. Ron DeSantis said in May that his wife had 'zero' interest in succeeding him as Florida governor, while the first lady herself told the Conservative Review podcast that 'when people talk about me running for governor, I think it speaks highly about the governor himself.' The breast cancer survivor and mother of three young children has spearheaded four major initiatives since governor DeSantis was elected. These include Hope Florida–A Pathway to Prosperity, Economic Self-Sufficiency and Hope; Resiliency Florida initiative–a partnership with professional sports teams and athletes; Character Education Standards, to be taught in the state's K-12 schools; and 'The Facts. Your Future.' campaign–a public affairs partnership between the Office of the Attorney General, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Department of Education. David Jolly, an ex-GOP Florida congressperson, told Politico in 2023 that Casey DeSantis was 'every bit as involved in Ron's rise as Ron is himself.' A Republican lobbyist told the magazine 'she's the power behind the throne,' while a GOP consultant described her as 'the tip of the spear.' Rep. Byron Donalds, a close ally of President Donald Trump who represents southwest Florida, is also reported to be considering running for governor.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Casey DeSantis considers running for Florida governor amid push from top donors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republican donors at a gathering last week in Palm Beach County openly discussed the prospect of Casey DeSantis' running for governor in 2026, and for the first time, Florida's first lady is seriously considering the idea. Gov. Ron DeSantis, her husband, faces term limits and cannot seek re-election. There has long been speculation about whether Casey, a mainstay on the campaign trail for her husband, would herself one day run for office, but those plans seem to be coming closer to reality, five people directly familiar with the donor event and Casey DeSantis' thought process told NBC News. 'I would say this: I have heard donors have been urging her to run and that while it's not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen,' a source familiar with her thinking said. Casey DeSantis couldn't be reached for comment for this article. Her entrance into the 2026 Republican primary field, which isn't yet set, would have significant ripple effects across both the Florida and the national political landscapes, potentially setting up a proxy war between Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump. The other Republican who has openly said he is considering a run for governor is Rep. Byron Donalds, a close Trump ally. 'It is a real possibility,' another person familiar with the conversations said of the chances Casey DeSantis runs for governor, though they noted they don't know yet whether it's a 'probable scenario.' Before the South Florida donor event last week, the prospect was mostly political conjecture. But even then, the idea had gotten enough traction that Casey DeSantis has had to address it. 'I will tell you this, when people talk about me running for governor, I think it speaks highly about the governor himself,' she told the 'Conservative Review' podcast in May. 'I think when people see me, it is because they are so happy about everything that this governor has done for the state of Florida. 'When people start talking about 'Oh, you know, you should run,' that's because Gov. DeSantis is a rock star and that's because people are so proud of everything that he's done for this state,' she added. Along with Donalds, state Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is also believed to be considering a run. Though he doesn't have the national profile of either Casey DeSantis or Donalds, he is a well-known statewide elected official in Florida with upward of $30 million already in the bank from past fundraising efforts. If Casey DeSantis were to run, the race would almost certainly be viewed, in part, as a proxy war between Trump and her husband. The two became close allies after Trump endorsed Ron DeSantis' 2018 bid for governor, but they had a high-profile falling-out when DeSantis ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries. Their relationship has warmed, but the dynamics of a potential race between the sitting governor's wife and Donalds, widely believed to be the candidate Trump's team would support, would resurrect the rivalry and the fight over who is the true kingmaker in Florida Republican politics. DeSantis and Donalds were once so close that Donalds introduced DeSantis and his family at DeSantis' 2022 election night victory party; the two fell out when Donalds endorsed Trump in the presidential primary. Similarly, DeSantis has had a strained relationship with Simpson. Last month, the two men openly sparred after the GOP-dominated Legislature proposed a plan to strip DeSantis of immigration oversight authority in the state to give it to Simpson, which DeSantis vocally opposed. Originally, DeSantis wanted former state Attorney General Ashley Moody, a longtime ally, to run for governor. He saw her as the best prospect to beat Donalds, but he ultimately decided to appoint her to the Senate seat left open when Trump picked Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state. With Moody's exit, DeSantis was forced to find another candidate who was aligned with him who he believed could become governor. The governor sees his wife's running "as his best opportunity to set the future leaderships for the state and prevent a Simpson or Donalds governorship,' another source familiar with the thinking said. 'That's what finally opened him up to a Casey run." A top Donalds adviser told NBC News about having "heard the rumblings" of a Casey DeSantis bid for governor but declined to comment further. The existing tensions between DeSantis and both men make it nearly impossible that DeSantis, the state's sitting two-term governor, would endorse either in a governor's race and left him searching for his own candidate whom he can support to replace him. DeSantis has already said he would be active in the 2026 governor's race. Last month, DeSantis said he would use his state-level political committee, the Florida Freedom Fund, to back a candidate in the 2026 governor's race. He used the committee last year to help defeat ballot measures that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state and another that would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution. 'The Florida Freedom Fund was instrumental in raising huge sums of $ to defeat Amendment 3 and 4 in 2024,' he posted on X last month. 'For the 2026 cycle, the FFF will raise even more resources (1) to ensure support of a strong gubernatorial candidate and (2) to support strong conservative candidates in legislative primaries.' It has left many wondering whom DeSantis would end up supporting. The candidate who answers that question may already live in the Governor's Mansion. "She's going to run. I think at this point most see that," a person familiar with Casey DeSantis' thinking said. "There is a lot to be worked out, but at this point the rumors are not just that — it's feeling very real." This article was originally published on
NBC News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Casey DeSantis considers running for Florida governor amid push from top donors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republican donors at a gathering last week in Palm Beach County openly discussed the prospect of Casey DeSantis' running for governor in 2026, and for the first time, Florida's first lady is seriously considering the idea. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, her husband, is facing term limits and cannot seek re-election. There has long been speculation about whether Casey, a mainstay on the campaign trail for her husband, would herself one day run for office, but those plans seem to becoming closer to reality, five people directly familiar with the donor event and Casey DeSantis' thought process told NBC News. 'I would say this: I have heard donors have been urging her to run, and that while it's not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen,' one source familiar with her thinking said. Casey DeSantis could not be reached for comment for this story. Casey DeSantis' entrance into the 2026 Republican primary field, which is not yet set, would have significant ripple effects across both the Florida and national political landscapes, potentially setting up a proxy war between Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump. The other Republican who has openly said he is considering a run for governor is Rep. Byron Donalds, a close Trump ally. 'It is a real possibility,' another person familiar with the conversations said of the chances Casey DeSantis runs for governor, though noted they don't know yet if it's a 'probable scenario.' Before the South Florida donor event last week, the prospect was mostly political conjecture. But even then, the idea had received enough traction that Casey DeSantis has had to address the idea. 'I will tell you this, when people talk about me running for Governor, I think it speaks highly about the governor himself,' she told the Conservative Review podcast in May. 'I think when people see me, it is because they are so happy about everything that this governor has done for the state of Florida.' 'When people start talking about, 'Oh, you know, you should run,' that's because Gov. DeSantis is a rock star and that's because people are so proud of everything that he's done for this state,' she added. Along with Donalds, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is also believed to be eyeing a run. Though he does not have the national profile of either Casey DeSantis or Donalds, he is a well-known statewide elected official in Florida with upwards of $30 million already in the bank from past fundraising efforts. If Casey DeSantis were to run, the race would almost certainly be viewed, in part, as a proxy war between Trump and DeSantis. The two became close allies after Trump endorsed DeSantis' 2018 gubernatorial bid, but they had a high-profile falling-out when DeSantis ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Their relationship has warmed, but the dynamics of a potential race between the sitting governor's wife and Donalds, widely believed to be the candidate Trump's team would support, would resurrect the rivalry and fight over who is the true kingmaker in Florida Republican politics. DeSantis and Donalds were once so close that the congressman from southwest Florida introduced DeSantis and his family at DeSantis' 2022 election night victory party; the two had a falling out when Donalds endorsed Trump in the presidential primary. Similarly, DeSantis has had a strained relationship with Simpson. Last month, the two men openly sparred after the GOP-dominated Florida Legislature proposed a plan to strip DeSantis of immigration oversight authority in the state to give it to Simpson, something DeSantis vocally opposed. Originally, the governor wanted former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, a longtime ally, to run for governor. He saw her as the best prospect to beat Donalds, but he ultimately decided to appoint her to the Senate post left open when Trump picked Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state. With Moody's exit, DeSantis was forced to find another candidate who was aligned with him that he believed could become governor. The governor sees his wife running "as his best opportunity to set the future leaderships for the state and prevent a Simpson or Donalds governorship,' another source familiar with the thinking said. 'That's what finally opened him up to a Casey run." A top Donalds adviser told NBC News they have "heard the rumblings" of a Casey DeSantis gubernatorial bid but declined to comment further. The pre-existing tensions between DeSantis and both men make it nearly impossible that DeSantis would endorse either in a gubernatorial race and left the state's sitting two-term governor searching for his own candidate that he can support to replace him. DeSantis has already said he would be active in the 2026 gubernatorial race. Last month, DeSantis said he would use his state-level political committee, Florida Freedom Fund, to back a candidate in the 2026 governor's race. He used that committee in 2024 to help defeat ballot measures that would legalize recreational marijuana in the state and another that would enshrine abortion rights in the Florida constitution. 'The Florida Freedom Fund was instrumental in raising huge sums of $ to defeat Amendment 3 and 4 in 2024,' he posted on X last month. 'For the 2026 cycle, the FFF will raise even more resources (1) to ensure support of a strong gubernatorial candidate and (2) to support strong conservative candidates in legislative primaries.' It has left many wondering who DeSantis would end up supporting. The candidate that answers that question may already live in the Florid governor's mansion. "She's going to run. I think at this point most see that," a person familiar with Casey DeSantis' thinking said. "There is a lot to be worked out, but at this point the rumors are not just that, it's feeling very real."
Associated Press
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Jim Marter Issues Statement on Laken Riley Act and Underwood's Record on Women's Safety
Marter Stands in Support of Female Victims of Illegal Alien Violence, Criticizes Underwood's Voting Record 'So far this year, Underwood voted NO on the Laken Riley Act, the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act and the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. It's time to replace her.' — Jim Marter, Republican for Congress (IL-14) OSWEGO, IL, UNITED STATES, January 31, 2025 / / -- Congressional candidate Jim Marter released the following statements today, denouncing Democrat Lauren Underwood's voting record on legislation aimed at supporting the safety and well-being of American women. Marter emphasized Underwood's recent votes against key bipartisan legislation designed to protect women from violence and crimes committed against them by illegal immigrants. 'So far in 2025, Lauren Underwood voted NO on the Laken Riley Act and the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, both of which had broad bipartisan support,' said Marter. Source Link: 'If our communities are to remain safe, we must be willing to deport the most dangerous criminals—including rapists, pedophiles, and murderers. Failing to do so puts our wives and daughters, neighbors and loved ones at risk. These issues disproportionately endanger marginalized communities, where many of these violent criminals continue to victimize innocent people.' 'She even refused to support the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This legislation prioritized the safety of women and girls,' added Marter. Marter, who is running for Congress in Illinois' 14th District, takes every opportunity to contrast his and the district's values with the voting record of Lauren Underwood, noting her 2% rating from Conservative Review. Source Link: 'It's hard to score lower than a 2%. It's common sense that when a Representative's values do not align with the values of the people they are supposed to be representing, it's time to elect a replacement,' said Marter. The Laken Riley Act, named after a nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant while jogging at the University of Georgia, is a stark reminder of why these votes matter. 'Laken Riley was actually on track to become a real nurse with patients; a healer and a force for good. Instead, her life was cut short by a violent criminal that good legislation could have removed, before the crime was committed,' Marter stated. 'Who we send to Congress matters. We must do everything we can to end reckless policies that contribute to preventable tragedies like Laken Riley's murder. The best way to stop these heartbreaking and senseless crimes is to vote out the enablers who put radicalized ideologies over American lives.' Lauren Underwood's recent votes include: • H.R. 30: Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act – Voted NO • H.R. 29: Laken Riley Act – Voted NO • H.R. 28: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act – Voted NO • H.R. 8205: Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act – Voted NO • H.R. 7343: Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act – Voted NO • H.R. 6976: Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act – Voted NO 'House Members have a responsibility to vote in a bipartisan manner when national security and the safety of our citizens is at stake. We need to start putting common sense above party politics and power. We need to hold our elected officials accountable and if they fail to protect the American People, they need to be voted out.' 'I'm running for Congress because we need independent leaders who will stand up for our communities, protect our families, and defend our values. I'm asking for your support to unseat Lauren Underwood in November 2026. Are you in? I am,' Marter said in closing. Jim Marter was a 2024 Trump Delegate and the 2024 Republican Nominee for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. For more information or to support Jim Marter's campaign, please visit or contact his campaign headquarters. Campaign HQ Marter for Congress +1 815-585-8006 X Other Legal Disclaimer:
