All eyes have been on the Trump/Vance ticket lately — as well as their opponents, the queen of word salads Kamala Harris and her as-yet-unknown second fiddle. That’s appropriate, of course. Unless the various hangers-on get their say, the contest is now Trump versus Harris, and what happens in November will have far-reaching consequences.
But there are other Republican dignitaries who have a long political future ahead of them. One of them ran for the 2024 Republican nomination, lost in the early primary, and threw his weight behind Donald Trump in solidarity. That dignitary is, of course, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and the question that springs to mind right now about one of the nation’s most effective Republican governors is this: What’s next for Ron DeSantis?
Ron DeSantis still wants to be president. And he won’t let JD Vance stop him.
Even after the governor’s failed presidential bid in Florida, his allies expect him to run for the White House again. The Ohio senator’s rise to become former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee complicates DeSantis’ political future should the Republicans win in November and Vance inherit the support of the Trump wing of the Republican Party.
DeSantis could face an uphill battle if he wants to run against Vance, several prominent Republicans said. The two have fairly similar biographies: Vance is 40 – nearly six years younger than the Florida governor – and also has a law degree from an Ivy League university, has served in the military and has a photogenic wife and three newborn children. The difference would be the platform: In 2028, Vance could be vice president while DeSantis would be two years out of office.
There’s little doubt that Ron DeSantis still has his eye on the Resolute Desk, and it would be somewhat surprising if he didn’t eventually achieve that goal. But there are some complications — and some compelling alternatives.
See also: “Not George Washington”: DeSantis makes absurd Democrats’ narrative of Biden’s “selfless” withdrawal from the race
DeSantis gives the media a reality check with Kamala Lovefest: She is “mindless” and “responsible” for all of Biden’s actions
First, Ron DeSantis is newborn—he is 45 at the time of this writing and will be 49 in the 2028 election cycle. He has time, so let’s look at his options.
First, let’s assume (which still seems likely) that Trump/Vance win in November. Ron DeSantis has two years left in his second term as governor, then he’s in the dim; there might be a place for him in the Trump administration, but that seems unlikely after two years into his second term. Assuming JD Vance runs for the top job, the smartest thing for DeSantis to do would be to throw his support behind Vance and bide his time; DeSantis will be only 53 in the 2032 election cycle and only 57 in the 2036 election cycle; he still has plenty of time to get involved in a primary that could threaten the GOP’s chances of winning the White House. Of course, the door is wide open if JD Vance declines to run for president for some reason.
Second, if the Trump/Vance ticket loses to the Harris/whoever ticket in November, that changes things a lot. Ron DeSantis could be the one challenging incumbent Kamala Harris (shudder) in 2028—or JD Vance might want to take his chance. Vance, it should be noted, is even younger than DeSantis—40 as of this writing—and he still has a political future ahead of him no matter which options he chooses. But in that case, the primary would be wide open, with DeSantis and Vance the presumptive frontrunners—unless an 82-year-old Trump tries for a fourth time, which seems unlikely.
Third and finally, what Ron DeSantis does in the meantime after he steps down as governor in 2026 will make a difference. Will he run for another office? Will he spend some time as a commentator on a right-leaning news channel? Will he publish his memoirs and rest on his laurels for a while until presidential opportunities open up again? Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, Florida’s two senators, don’t seem to be going away anytime soon, and it’s unlikely that DeSantis will want to return to the House – but the only thing he needs to do if he does seek that top job is make sure he doesn’t fade from the public consciousness.
Whatever happens, Ron DeSantis will not go away quietly. He will remain a significant figure in American politics for a long time to come, and if he does not run for president again at some point, I will be the most surprised person since Charles, Duke of Orléans, looked across the field at Agincourt and said: “Oh, the English, they have some archers – never mind, we will put them to flight – attack!”
