Two people close to DeSantis
told Politico that he would
likely look to Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva, or DeSantis’s chief of staff James Uthmeier as possible replacements.
DeSantis hasn’t indicated who he might select as an interim senator. He could appoint himself, as there have been mumblings that he would be interested in running in 2028 anyway. His term as governor ends in 2026, and he is term-limited.
There is one scenario in which DeSantis could work with Nunez to resign as governor, which would allow her to ascend to becoming governor and appoint him directly to the Senate seat, which would bypass DeSantis’s need to wait to run.