Outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that Republicans’ midterm losses were “close to an extinction-level event” for the party in many parts of the country, perhaps the worst such setback in a century.
Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate on Election Day. In Florida, Rep. Byron Donalds won the race to succeed DeSantis, while Republican candidates lost gubernatorial contests elsewhere in the country.
“Democrats are unpopular,” DeSantis said. “They won because of the mood in the country right now, not because voters gave them a mandate to pursue all their left-wing ideas. They’ll have to govern now, and we’ll see what happens.”
He said the result reflected voters turning against Republicans in Washington, with Democrats benefiting from that backlash rather than winning broad support for their own agenda.
Donalds wins Florida governor’s race
DeSantis, who has not ruled out running for president in 2028, said Florida would be the only one of the country’s 10 largest states under Republican control in January, after other governors leave office because of term limits or election losses.
He described the results as more than a typical wave, comparing the political impact to a meteor strike that hit states across the country, regardless of their usual political leanings. Florida, he said, was the one state that managed to hold its ground.
DeSantis pointed to Texas as a longtime stronghold for Republicans and conservatives, saying Florida had become a leading state for the party during his time as governor. But he argued that Texas suffered widespread losses, including in a closely watched Senate race and statewide contests.
Democrats gain ground across the country
DeSantis also said Republicans lost four seats on the Texas Supreme Court and could lose control of one or both chambers of the state legislature. The consequences, he warned, could last well beyond the next two years and affect the party for a decade or more. Without Texas as a political anchor, he said, Republicans would struggle to remain competitive nationally.
Looking ahead to 2028, DeSantis said the current Senate map would make it difficult for Republicans to regain control just two years from now. He also suggested the party might not be able to win back the House, adding that it could take two, four, six or more years for Republicans to again hold unified control in Washington.
