Florida Republicans, it’s time to think about another DeSantis for governor | Opinion

At first, I was skeptical about the rumors of Casey DeSantis running for governor when her husband, the current governor of Florida, winds up his second term in 2026. I wondered whether the rumors were being peddled by those in DeSantis-land to protect Ron DeSantis from being cast as a lame-duck governor with diminishing power.

But then a recent poll from UNF showed Casey DeSantis with a 30% favorability rating, more than double that of Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

President Donald Trump endorsed Donalds shortly after the poll came out, even though Donalds had yet to declare his candidacy. The timing wasn’t a coincidence. (In politics, there are no such things as coincidences.) Trump wants to play kingmaker — again — in the Florida governor’s race and deter Casey DeSantis from running.

She hasn’t backed down, though. And I’m here for another potential DeSantis candidacy.

I would welcome Casey DeSantis to the Florida governor’s race. Having worked for a super PAC that supported Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican primary, I’m a proponent of more Republican female candidates seeking higher office.

In recent weeks, Ron DeSantis has applauded his wife, saying he would support her if she ran. “She’s somebody that has, I think, the intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles,” he said during Monday’s State of the State address, using his platform to talk up his wife while she sat in the audience.

The possibility of DeSantis as successor to her husband is unique, not just because she’d be the first female governor, but also because she’d be the first first lady to do so.

Florida is one of 18 states that have never had a female governor — but not for lack of trying. In 2017, Gwen Graham, daughter of former Florida Gov. Bob Graham, ran in the Democratic primary against Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. Graham’s lackluster campaign and over-reliance on her last name contributed to her loss.

Casey DeSantis, like Gwen Graham, has the potential to benefit from sharing her last name with a popular governor — and name recognition is the biggest hurdle in politics. Casey DeSantis should heed the lessons from Graham, though, and if she chooses to run, she’ll need to do more than rely on her husband’s legacy and his name ID.

As a potential candidate, Casey DeSantis has a number of things going for her, starting with her likeability factor. She’s also comfortable in the spotlight and has worked on her own initiatives. A breast cancer survivor, she helped secure $100 million in recurring funding for cancer research.

She has also tackled the opioid crisis in Florida, announcing a $5 million grant in 2020 for a new pilot program to foster recovery through workforce development. She created Hope Florida, a state initiative that connects Floridians with financial struggles to faith-based organizations, nonprofits and community groups for support with groceries, housing assistance and job training.

Casey DeSantis has never held public office but, of course, she’s had plenty of experience behind the scenes. She has been actively involved in the governor’s public appearances and played a role in his political rise. And the fact that her husband won reelection in 2022 by a landslide doesn’t hurt.

Still, she’ll have to distinguish herself as her own person — and candidate. Without a voting record, Floridians will no doubt look to her husband’s time as governor. For better or worse, she will have to answer for Ron DeSantis’ time in office.

The political calculation of whether Casey DeSantis should run for governor isn’t one she should rush into. There’s a lot at stake. If she runs and loses the primary to the Trump-endorsed candidate, Donalds, that loss could close the door on her husband’s political future as well as her own.

If she does run, though, she’d be making history as Florida’s first first lady to seek the governorship and potentially the state’s first female governor. The question isn’t if she has what it takes to run, but whether voters have the appetite for four more years of a governor named DeSantis.

Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com