Florida Governor Ron DeSantis provided an update on the search for a replacement for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of state. On X, DeSantis announced that the search is actively underway as Rubio is expected to resign on January 20th, the day of Trump’s inauguration, creating a vacancy that will need to be filled in approximately two months.
“We have already received strong interest from several possible candidates, and we continue to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting. More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January,” the governor said on Monday. “Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results.”
Senator Marco Rubio is expected to resign from the Senate to assume duties as Secretary of State when the Trump administration takes power on January 20th, creating a vacancy roughly two months from today.
We have already received strong interest from several possible…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 18, 2024
Florida has not seen a new U.S. senator since 2019 when Rick Scott (R-FL) left his second term as governor to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Democrat Bill Nelson, who went on to become the administrator of NASA. Rubio, the senior senator, was elected in the 2010 Tea Party wave and was in the midst of serving his third six-year term when President-elect Trump tapped him for secretary of state. Under state law, Governor Ron DeSantis has the authority to nominate Rubio’s replacement and could even nominate himself if he chooses to do so.
However, the power to make such a selection comes with its challenges. In 2009, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted by the Justice Department for attempting to sell former President Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich was impeached by his own party’s legislative leadership and served eight years in prison for public corruption.
Initially a sharp critic of Trump, DeSantis has since sought to gain his favor. He congratulated Trump on his victory, writing on X that Trump earned a “sweeping electoral victory” and a “mandate for change.” “The scope of the victory — electoral swing state domination, popular vote victory, and a Republican-controlled Senate — represents a decisive rejection of the Biden-Harris administration,” DeSantis wrote. “Roughly 75% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. With last night’s results, that is likely to change for the better very soon.”
When asked if he hopes to secure a position in the Trump-Vance administration, DeSantis stated that he is content with his current role. “I think for me, I’m not seeking anything,” DeSantis said. “I’ve got a great job in the state of Florida. … How can I best make a difference? I think, you know, given where we are, I think me quarterbacking the Sunshine State is probably how I make the biggest difference.”
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.