Ron DeSantis could be faced with important Senate decision if Marco Rubio is Trump's VP pick

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: In the Donald Trump vice-presidential selection process, Florida Senator Marco Rubio remains a contender.

This may be attributed to the influence of Susie Wiles, a fellow Floridian and senior adviser to the Trump campaign.

With Trump's vice-presidential choice expected soon, and considering the timing of his rally in Doral, Florida, the announcement might be made in the next few hours, according to the New York Post.

Marco Rubio's shares are trading at 14 cents on Polymarket

As of this writing, shares of Marco Rubio are trading at 14 cents on the political prediction market aggregator site Polymarket, putting him ahead of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin but behind Ohio Senator JD Vance and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who is seeing a late surge in support from investors as he uses his purple state.

Needless to say, Rubio will be present, as the outlet reports. If he is chosen by Trump, another Florida man will have to make a significant choice. Under the circumstances, the 17th Amendment of the Constitution assigns Governor Ron DeSantis the task of succeeding Rubio in the Senate until a special election.

If DeSantis is given the chance by the former president, it only offers benefits in his opinion. The governor and senators from the Sunshine State don't really communicate, which is one peculiarity of Florida politics.

A portion of this has valid reasons; DeSantis wasn't happy with how former Governor Rick Scott departed office.

In 2019, Scott famously postponed his Senate debut in order to extend his term until the last possible moment. He celebrated at the governor's mansion just hours before DeSantis took office, and after the arrival of Florida's new first family.

Scott left DeSantis' inauguration early, ostensibly to avoid the crowds, which only served to exacerbate the situation. Scott has voiced his own grievances, pointing out repeatedly—even to this day—that DeSantis never got in touch with him after crises at the state level.

Marco Rubio and Ron DeSantis have not spoken in months

With Rubio, it's not quite as horrible. However, the senator has noted that they haven't spoken with DeSantis in months. There's no indication that they're conversing much at this point either.

This implies that DeSantis will have a chance to appoint someone he knows and trusts to the position if Rubio is Trump's choice. There are many options, one of which is inside the governor's mansion.

Casey DeSantis seems like a perfect fit for her husband because she is charming, driven, and interested in politics. The first lady of Florida, a former TV newscaster, would be able to leverage that background into a national platform.

She also obviously understands the governor's goals; as anyone who watched his presidential campaign will attest, their presentation had a "two for the price of one" feel to it, reminiscent of Bill and Hillary Clinton's from decades ago.

That choice has a personal rather than a political flaw. It's difficult to imagine Mrs. DeSantis wanting to move to Washington given the three school-age children in the DeSantis family and her active and involved role as a mother.

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez and Attorney General Ashley Moody are two other possibilities. Both are believed to be vying for the governor's office in 2026 because they have demonstrated unwavering devotion to DeSantis and his policies.

Potential wildcards include former Florida House Speaker José Oliva and James Uthmeier

If the governor decides to go with Moody or Nunez, the race to succeed him becomes more competitive, creating a Casey-sized lane in a contest where Republicans lean toward her over any other serious opponent, and media outlets like National Review are already speculating about her husband's potential successor.

Individuals who have shown less loyalty to DeSantis, such as Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, as well as the congressional delegation, many of whom supported Trump while DeSantis was still a contender, are likely excluded from consideration.

This is unsurprising, as the governor's ultimate advantage would be to collaborate with a senator. Consequently, there are potential wildcards, like former Florida House Speaker José Oliva, who assisted in Hispanic outreach for DeSantis' presidential campaign.

Keep an eye on James Uthmeier, the governor's chief of staff, who led DeSantis' presidential campaign before returning to the governor’s office.

Uthmeier has long harbored political ambitions, and choosing an insider like him would echo former Governor Charlie Crist's appointment of George LeMieux, his ex-chief of staff and longtime campaign aide.

DeSantis, an unconventional and transformative governor, is expected to favor continuity and predictability in his Senate appointment over an unpredictable maverick.

Internet claims 'POTUS and VP are not allowed to be from the same state'

As soon as the news went viral on social media, users started reacting to it. One wrote, "There is no chance Rubio wins"

Another user added, "It’s not going to be Rubio. Cmon now."

The third commentator explained, "POTUS and VP are not allowed to be from the same state so it can’t be Rubio."

"It's not Rubio. No way Trump changes his residence to NY," a person stated.

An X user claimed, "Don't think he will be VP"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.