During a busy week in Washington, D.C., Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continued to keep his name in the political spotlight. DeSantis, a two-term governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, named Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to succeed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate. The move came after President-elect Trump gave DeSantis a shout-out on social media, calling for a special state legislative session to implement Trump’s expected immigration crackdown.
DeSantis’ national profile is likely to continue to grow as he takes a lead on some of the nation’s most consequential issues. The spotlight could help him if he decides to launch a second straight GOP presidential nomination run in 2028, a race in which soon-to-be Vice President JD Vance will be considered the clear early frontrunner.
Other Republican governors with national ambitions in 2028 include Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Youngkin, who energized Republicans nationwide in 2021, will be out of office in a year due to Virginia’s term limits. He has predicted that he will continue to stay in the spotlight, potentially by helping fellow Republicans in the midterm elections.
Nikki Haley, the former two-term Republican governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., is also being mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. However, her ability to grab attention may be more difficult within a party that is once again on bended knee to Trump.
Ultimately, the Republican Party has a “deep bench” of potential presidential candidates, according to RNC Chair. The party’s 2028 presidential race is likely to be a long and competitive one, with several candidates vying for the nomination.