Speculation swirls over Rubio's Senate successor

The impending vacancy in the Senate following President-elect Trump’s planned nomination of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) for secretary of State is already sparking speculation about who will be his successor.

If Trump goes forward with nominating Rubio as the U.S.’s top envoy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would be tasked with appointing a replacement for him in the upper chamber. There will then be a special election for the seat in 2026. A number of names have already been floated, including DeSantis’s chief of staff, the state’s lieutenant governor, the state’s attorney general and even Florida first lady Casey DeSantis.

The move to replace Rubio could have a chain reaction in the state’s political circles as Republicans, including DeSantis, keep their own political futures in mind.

“Honestly, I just don’t see how a succession plan does not involve a DeSantis, particularly Ron DeSantis,” said one Republican strategist.

On Tuesday, Capitol Hill was abuzz with a number of different names. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt (R) floated Trump’s daughter in-law and Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump to fill the role.

A source familiar with the matter told The Hill that DeSantis’s top aide, James Uthmeier, is favored for the position. Other candidates include Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez and state Attorney General Ashley Moody.

The source added that President-elect Trump may push for his daughter-in-law for the position.

One of the big questions surrounds DeSantis and what he plans to do next after his term as governor ends in 2026. While he did not clinch the Republican presidential nomination this cycle, the 46-year-old governor is still seen as a rising star within the GOP. A second presidential run is not out of the question, and the Republican strategist argued that they could see the Senate as a launching pad for DeSantis.

“You’ve got to have a perch,” the strategist said. “Remember, people forget about you real quick.”

“What, are you going to walk out of the governor’s mansion and start running for president?” the strategist added. “How are you going to get oxygen? Because the day after the midterms, what happens? Everyone starts running for president.”

Sources who spoke to The Hill think the governor will name his own chief of staff to be a placeholder for him before 2026.

If DeSantis were to appoint Uthmeier, DeSantis would have a strong loyalist in the seat until 2026, when a special election would take place. DeSantis could then theoretically run for a full term that year.

There could also be a scenario where DeSantis appoints himself to the Senate seat. In order to do so, he would have to resign as governor and appoint Nunez to the governor’s mansion. Nine former governors have taken this route, including former Minnesota Gov. Wendell Anderson (D), who replaced former Vice President Walter Mondale in the upper chamber after he was elected in 1976.

It could be a risky move if DeSantis follows that route. Out of the nine governors who have essentially appointed themselves to the Senate, only one won a later election.

Others argue that DeSantis does not need to be in the Senate in order to launch a 2028 presidential bid, noting that the next presidential campaign will kick off right after the 2026 midterms. DeSantis launched his presidential bid in May of 2023, while former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley launched her bid in February 2023.

Additionally, DeSantis would likely want to emphasize his executive role as governor of Florida.

But with Trump only being able to serve one more term, it’s unclear what a 2028 Republican primary would look like with Vice President-elect JD Vance as the heir apparent.

“JD Vance may honestly be the first Republican vice president since George H. W. Bush who may actually have a credible chance at the way things are going,” the Republican strategist said.

Other Republicans throw cold water on the notion that a potential Vance presidential bid would hinder other figures, like DeSantis, from launching their own bids in 2028.

The speculation comes as Florida has played a central role in the second Trump transition after significant gains for the GOP in 2022 and 2024. In addition to Rubio appearing on track to be nominated for secretary of State, Trump also nominated Florida Rep. Mike Waltz (R) to serve as his national security adviser.

Additionally, Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach has served as the center of the transition, with veteran Florida political operative and incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles at the reins. Meanwhile, Rubio’s colleague Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is launching his own bid for Senate majority leader, receiving support from a number of Trump allies, including Elon Musk.

“The only thing we don’t have is a House Speaker from Florida,” the GOP strategist quipped.