The future of the GOP post Trump is being built in Florida, and it’s unapologetic | Opinion

It’s been a decade since President Donald Trump took his infamous ride down the golden escalator to announce his candidacy for president in 2016.

What initially looked like a political stunt became a turning point for the Republican Party. Since that time, I’ve watched the party undergo a transformation that few predicted. What began as a movement by Trump has evolved — and nowhere is that clearer than in Florida. Trump is the Republican Party and his influence has shaped the GOP for the foreseeable future.

Trump is in his second and final term, and the question of who will carry the party forward looms. While these answers are hazy, one thing is certain: the post-Trump GOP is being built in Florida, and state Republicans are writing a national conservative playbook that will outlast him.

This transformation has made Florida a launchpad for conservative politics. Over the weekend at Florida’s Freedom Forum in Orlando, I witnessed something remarkable: for the first time in years, the direction of the GOP made sense. Although Trump still dominates headlines, Florida Republicans are looking beyond his tenure and their grassroots-driven leadership offers a roadmap for what comes next.

“Florida leads the way,” Evan Power, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said during his remarks at the event. He’s right.

In 2018, I met with former Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam’s Republican campaign for Florida governor, and they asked me about a comment I made on air, saying “Florida is Trump country.” I told them it was, and the Putnam campaign was in trouble. Indeed, I was right; Putnam lost the GOP primary to Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom Trump had endorsed, by double digits.

Fast-forward seven years later, the next generation of conservative leaders shaped by Trump’s success are being forged in Florida not Washington, D.C. Florida’s Freedom Forum wasn’t just a pep rally — it was a strategy session.

Trump wasn’t the focus. Instead, speakers recounted how Florida became a Republican stronghold — through political infrastructure, grassroots efforts and unapologetic commitment to ideology. With a 1.3 million Republican voter-registration advantage, the state party is mobilizing its base year round, and it’s paying off. Florida isn’t just red — it’s the foundation for national expansion.

The ambition was echoed with conviction by newly minted Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, whose “Top 10 Rules for Republican Success” called for unapologetic conservatism and ending political correctness. Ingoglia’s grassroots rise reflects a broader shift away from establishment-type figures.

This shift is seen in gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds. Donalds said at the event his frustration with his son’s math homework led him to get into politics.

“Our children have to know our history and economics, and see conservatism as the path forward,” Donalds said. His story reflects a new conservative archetype — a grassroots parent-turned-politician turning grievance into a public mission.

While DeSantis’ political future remains uncertain, his role in Florida’s GOP success is undeniable. He’s won the state twice and helped deliver Florida to Trump in 2020 and 2024. DeSantis has also reshaped education by appointing Republicans to Florida university and school boards and championing reforms. His blueprint is now a model for GOP educational reform across the country.

“We’ve drawn a clear contrast by being very strong on conservative policy,” DeSantis said at Florida’s Freedom Forum. “The reason we’ve grown the party is because people know you stand for something.”

This clarity of purpose is a cornerstone of Florida Republicans’ success. The Florida model is built on absolutes: win or lose. No hedging. No hand-wringing. Just direct, combative messaging that wins elections.

The GOP is no longer steeped in Reagan-era conservatism. Florida’s Republicans have learned from the past, and now they’re using Florida as a strategy lab and talent incubator to move the Republican agenda forward.

Trump may have created the movement; but now Florida is building the political machine to expand it beyond any single personality.

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