‘A lot of possibilities,’ DeSantis says when asked if First Lady will run for governor

by Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix
February 27, 2025

Gov. Ron DeSantis is still not ruling out another DeSantis seeking the governor’s mansion after being asked, again, Thursday about speculation the First Lady is gearing up to run in 2026.

“I think there’s a lot of possibilities,” DeSantis said about Casey DeSantis running for governor against U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and entered the Republican primary earlier this week.

DeSantis disses Donalds, touts First Lady, when asked about 2026 governor race

The governor will be term limited from running for the office again in 2026. He discredited the former state lawmaker’s contributions to conservative initiatives.

During a news conference at Camp Blanding Training Center in Starke highlighting the Florida State Guard, DeSantis mostly did not expand beyond that on the gubernatorial race, instead touting efforts his administration and the Legislature have made toward immigration enforcement.

“Donald Trump has been in office for like five weeks. Why aren’t we working to make sure that his vision and the mandate is delivered for the people that voted for him?” DeSantis said, later noting the 2026 election is a “lifetime away.”

DeSantis again advocated for getting rid of property taxes, using the argument that homestead exemptions are “too weak” and with taxes “you never really own your property.”

He said he wants people to have a discussion about property taxes and “it’s something that would be on the ballot in ’26.” Changing tax language in the Florida Constitution would require a popular vote.

“I haven’t proposed a specific amendment because we’re going to continue to work with people,” DeSantis said.

He complained of a “huge, huge problem with growth of local governments throughout Florida,” emphasizing his recently announced “Florida DOGE” efforts to “look into” local government spending.

Andrew Tate

Thursday morning, news outlets began reporting that controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were flying to Fort Lauderdale from Romania, where they have faced charges of rape and human trafficking since 2022.

DeSantis said Florida has “no involvement” in the Tates’ plans but that Attorney General James Uthmeier will examine whether the state can exert jurisdiction.

“But the reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct,” DeSantis said.

Florida State Guard

The Florida State Guard was rebooted in 2022 and is expected to reach its statutorily authorized size of 1,500 commissioned, enrolled, or employed volunteers during the next fiscal year, its executive director, Mark Thieme, said Thursday.

DeSantis said the Florida State Guard has reached a 287(g) program agreement with ICE, authorizing cooperation with the federal government in making immigration arrests. State law says only a special unit of the guard may conduct law enforcement.

“And I think it’s good, and I think they will play a role. But I also know that, just functionally, the state agencies that are going to play the biggest role are going to be the Highway Patrol, because they’re going to be interacting with illegal aliens more than anybody else”

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