Following rumors that Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis might run for governor, Gov. Ron DeSantis declined to comment Wednesday on Byron Donalds' newly launched bid to succeed him, claiming he's more focused on creating results from the 2024 elections.
DeSantis spoke from the Homestead Air Force Base less than 24 hours after Donalds, the Trump-endorsed Congressman from the 19th District, officially threw his hat in the ring for the looming gubernatorial race. DeSantis, who touted his wife and trashed Donalds over the position earlier this week, did not want to answer questions on the campaign.
"I want to focus today not on the '26 elections, but on vindicating the '24 election by showing that we're gonna get this job done here," he told onlookers at an unrelated press conference on illegal immigration. "You have these elections, and then people start talking about new elections. Why don't we actually get something done based off the previous election?"
Donalds, 46, announced his campaign late Tuesday night on Fox News's "Hannity," just four days after President Donald Trump urged the three-term Congressman to run for Florida's chief executive position. Donalds is the first big-name candidate to jump into the race, though the primary won't take place for another 18 months.
"After a lot of prayer, after a lot of thought with my family and with my friends, I'm here to announce my candidacy to be the next Governor of the great state of Florida," Donalds said Tuesday, praising DeSantis' leadership. "The job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country."
But DeSantis, 46, hasn't had kind words for the Congressman.
On Monday, soon after Trump pushed Donalds to run on social media, the governor accused Donalds of lacking "victories over the left" in Florida because he's been "campaigning in other states." He then praised First Lady DeSantis for her "dedication to conservatism" and potential to win by more votes than DeSantis had in a Republican primary.
Though both DeSantises in the past insisted that the First Lady had "zero" interest in succeeding her husband, The Floridian reported last week that DeSantis was gearing up for a meeting with Trump to dissuade him from endorsing Donalds. He hoped Trump would consider First Lady DeSantis instead.
Hours later, Trump took to Truth Social urging Donalds to run, writing "RUN, BYRON, RUN!!"
Donalds and DeSantis, once allies, butted heads in 2023 over a new law requiring middle schoolers to learn that enslaved people developed skills that could sometimes be "applied for their personal benefit." Donalds, the only Black Republican in Florida's congressional delegation, called it "wrong."
Firing back, DeSantis' spokespeople, known for their aggressive defense of the governor online, accused Donalds of being a fake conservative.
Donalds is one of 13 candidates who've announced for the 2026 race, though he's the only one known statewide. Other popular Republicans who may run include First Lady DeSantis, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
