Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) teased Friday that he might throw his hat into the hoop to switch outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
“We’ll see what happens,” he informed fellow visitor Puck’s Tara Palmeri Friday night on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” when requested in regards to the 2026 gubernatorial race.
Resources just about Donalds informed The Hill closing month that the shut best friend to President Trump has approached Florida donors and likewise made notable political hires, such because the president’s 2016 and 2024 pollster Tony Fabrizio.
Maher requested the 2 visitors whether or not they concept DeSantis’s spouse, Casey DeSantis, may run for the placement herself. Palmeri promptly redirected the query towards Donalds.
“I mean, nobody’s in the race right now,” Donalds answered.
“You mean you might jump in there?” Maher requested.
Donalds shrugged, telling the HBO host to invite the reporter to his left.
Palmeri went directly to cite her personal resources and up to date polls, noting that Donalds, Casey DeSantis and previous Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) — who resigned from Congress and later withdrew his title from attention to go Trump’s Justice Division amid controversy — are fan favorites for the task.
“We’ll see what happens,” Donalds repeated.
In January, Gaetz prompt he had begun to consider a run for the governorship whilst resources informed NBC Information Friday that Florida’s first woman is significantly bearing in mind a bid.
DeSantis, who ran an unsuccessful 2024 presidential marketing campaign in opposition to Trump, is time period restricted and can’t search reelection.
The GOP governor disregarded rumors previous this 12 months that he would appoint himself to switch former Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) within the Senate, after he was once tapped and later showed for secretary of State. DeSantis named the Sunshine State’s former legal professional common, Ashley Moody, to fill the seat as an alternative.
