President-elect Trump has poached a number of prominent Florida officials during his second administration, paving the way for new leadership candidates in the Sunshine State.
President Trump's nomination of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) will give Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) the opportunity to appoint a replacement, who will serve until 2026. Meanwhile, Trump asked DeSantis himself about the possibility of accepting his nomination for secretary of defense. , if the nomination of Pete Hegseth fails.
The appointments and nominations create a political domino scenario in Florida, giving the state's up-and-coming politicians a chance to advance within the state.
Here are six Floridians who could shake up the state's political landscape.
Governor Ron DeSantis
If Mr. DeSantis were to leave the governor's mansion to accept President Trump's nomination for secretary of defense or any other position within the administration, it would cause a seismic shift in Florida's leadership chain.
President Trump reached out to DeSantis last week about potentially nominating him to lead the Pentagon, as Hegseth's nomination faces headwinds among many Senate Republicans. A person familiar with the matter told The Hill that DeSantis is seriously considering the position should Hegseth's nomination fail.
Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, but both Hegseth and Trump insist the former Fox News host will not have his name considered. Hegseth was returning to the Capitol on Monday to meet with Republican senators.
Still, the idea of Mr. DeSantis leaving Tallahassee for Washington to work in the administration is likely to be with Lt. Gov. Janet Nunez (R) taking the reins and assuming the role of lieutenant governor. This scenario could also impact the 2026 gubernatorial race, especially the Republican primary.
Lieutenant Governor Janet Nunez
Nuñez will be the first choice to replace the governor if he resigns before the end of his two-year term. Like many lieutenant governors, she is little known in Florida. The 52-year-old will be the first woman and first Cuban-American woman to serve as governor of Florida.
Nunez has been a strong supporter of DeSantis' conservative policies during his tenure leading the state, but has a more moderate track record than DeSantis. While a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Mr. Nunez worked with fellow Republicans in the state Senate to sponsor a bill that would have made the children of immigrants who entered the country illegally eligible for in-state tuition.
Moreover, Nuñez has not always been a supporter of the president-elect. In 2016, she supported Mr. Rubio's candidacy in the Republican presidential primary and called Mr. Trump “the biggest fraud” in a now-deleted tweet.
lara trump
There is currently no indication that the governor's mansion will need to be filled by 2026, but one state Senate seat will almost certainly need to be filled.
With Rubio set to become secretary of state, speculation is mounting about who DeSantis will appoint to the post through 2026. A number of names were initially floated, including Nunez, state Attorney General Ashley Moody (R), and DeSantis' secretary. Staff, James Usmeyer.
But the president-elect's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has said she would “seriously consider” an appointment to the Senate, and her resignation this week as co-chair of the Republican National Committee has added to the speculation. It's increasing.
Given the rocky relationship following the presidential primaries, appointing Lara Trump to the Senate could be seen as a gesture of goodwill from DeSantis to President-elect Trump. Some have suggested that if DeSantis is nominated as Secretary of Defense, he would appoint Lara Trump.
There is no indication that DeSantis has decided who will replace Rubio, and he has said a decision will probably be made by early January.
Congressman Byron Donald
Congressman Byron Donald (R-Florida) has emerged as the Republican candidate for governor in 2026. Before being nominated by the Trump administration, it was believed that a three-way Republican primary race was forming between Donald, Rep. Mike Walz (R-Fla.), and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). It was getting worse.
But with Walz's appointment as President Trump's national security adviser and Gates' withdrawal from the attorney general nomination process amid numerous sexual misconduct allegations, many Florida Republicans believes Donald is in the best position heading into 2026.
Of course, it's still possible that Gaetz or another Republican could make a bid, but Trump's ally Donald Trump appears to be the safest candidate at this point.
Attorney General Ashley Moody
Moody has also been floated as a candidate to replace Rubio and is a power player to watch at Florida.
Mr. Moody made headlines last month when he filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department after the agency ordered it to pause its investigation into a second assassination attempt on Mr. Trump until the federal investigation is concluded. Moody said state officials have been instructed not to interview witnesses and their role is to cooperate with the federal investigation.
Additionally, Moody could raise his profile as a red state attorney general under the Trump administration, particularly regarding immigration issues and the president-elect's mass deportation plans.
“It will be interesting to see how the attorney general leverages this new influence with the administration,” said Ford O'Connell, a Florida-based Republican strategist.
Congressman Jared Moskowitz
Democrats have suffered heavy losses in recent election cycles as Florida leans Republican.
However, Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida has managed to raise his profile in Congress and is now emerging as the Democratic candidate for governor in 2026.
Moskowitz has a track record of bipartisanship both on and off Capitol Hill. Earlier this month, he became the first Democrat to join the Republican-led Delivering Superior Government Efficiency (DOGE) caucus. Moskowitz was appointed by DeSantis in 2018 to head the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
Moskowitz's bipartisan track record could appeal to a broader electorate in future statewide races.
