DeSantis agenda sparks Tallahassee power struggle with new GOP leaders

The new Republican leaders of the Florida Legislature are telling Gov. Ron DeSantis no.

Hours after the Republican governor called state lawmakers back to Tallahassee for a special session on four big-ticket issues, House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton issued a rare joint statement saying the governor’s call was “premature.”

They said it would be up to those elected to the Legislature — not DeSantis — to decide what legislation would be considered, foreshadowing a less compliant tone between legislative leaders and a Republican governor who in recent years has gotten most of what he wanted when he wanted it.

“As the people’s elected representatives, the Legislature, not the Governor, will decide when and what legislation we consider,” they said.

DeSantis’ call for a special session for the week of Jan. 27 was to address immigration, condo reforms, hurricane relief and changes to the citizen-led initiative process. Albritton and Perez said they had already told the governor those issues would be addressed during the regular special session, which starts March 4, and remained steadfast on their timeline.

Perez and Albritton also took issue with the governor’s last-minute call to address sweeping issues with no specifics — a trend that has become a signature of DeSantis when calling special sessions in the past, including the push to strip Disney from its self-governing status.

“While the governor discussed fragments of ideas for a special session he plans to start in just fourteen days, he did not release any actual bill language or even meaningful details for legislators or our constituents to consider,” they wrote.

Perez and Albritton also said it would be “completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or ill-timed” action by the state could get in the way.

DeSantis did not directly respond to the GOP leaders’ joint-statement, but an hour after it was issued, he made his call for a special session official and doubled down on his support for it on social media. His office then sent statements from First Lady Casey DeSantis and DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier that talked about how much this special session is needed.

“@realDonaldTrump takes charge on January 20th and Florida leaders must immediately convene to carry out his mandate to combat illegal immigration. @GovRonDeSantis has called for a Jan 27th special session — there is no time to waste,” Uthmeier said on X.

State Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, said it was fair for GOP leaders to point out the lack of specifics.

“My take is that no policy and no language has been shared to be considered, and legislative leadership doesn’t sign on to bills that don’t exist,” Andrade said.

In the Legislature, some of DeSantis’ allies were quick to show their support for the governor, putting them at odds with their chamber’s leadership.

“Respectfully, I disagree,” Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hills, said in response to the joint statement. “The sooner we tackle these issues, the better. Florida should always lead from the front, especially on illegal immigration issues.”

Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, said he also disagreed with Perez and Albritton.

“President Trump has received a mandate from the American people, Florida should lead from the front on these critical matters as we always do!” Collins said.

But Democrats were pleased to see some tension.

Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, of Miami, said the joint statement showed “what an autonomous branch of government looks like.”