Gov. Ron DeSantis says he won’t name a sitting U.S. House member to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
Although U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, R-New Smyrna Beach, had been seen as a possible candidate, DeSantis told reporters Monday the slim majority Republicans hold in the U.S. House means he won’t consider U.S. House members for the Senate seat.
“I’ve been honest with the congresspeople … that’s a big concern of mine,” DeSantis said. “You’ve got to be part of the team and you’ve got to help deliver (President-elect Donald Trump’s policies). He spoke at a press conference in which he announced a special legislative session on immigration and other matters.
More: Gov. Ron DeSantis calls special legislative session to deal with illegal immigration, more
“But if you put someone there and it reduces the numbers in the House it may make it harder for them to enact an agenda.”
Due to appointments and resignations after the election, DeSantis said Republicans will likely hold a 217-215 advantage over Democrats in the House on Jan. 20, the day of Trump’s inauguration.
Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference at the Capitol announcing that he is calling a special legislative session to begin Jan. 27 to address illegal immigration Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.
Rubio was named by Trump to be the next Secretary of State. DeSantis said he believes Rubio will be confirmed either by Jan. 20 or the day after, and he’ll make the appointment before then.
The GOP majority in the Senate is a tad larger but still tiny: Republicans outnumber Democrats 53-47 in the chamber.
Under Florida law, DeSantis can name a replacement for Rubio for only two years before an election must be held. Mills has said he plans to run for the Senate seat in 2026 even if DeSantis doesn’t select him.
But DeSantis warned that whomever he selects will likely win over GOP voters and be able to fend off any challengers.
“People are free to do what they want, I think generally speaking if somebody is appointed and does a good job I don’t think they’re going to be somebody that you’re going to be able to successfully challenge in a Republican primary,” DeSantis told reporters.
DeSantis has said, for instance, he wants to pick someone who will carry out Trump’s hardline immigration policies in the Senate.
When presented with the upcoming Senate vacancy shortly after the election in November, DeSantis said on X:
“Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results.”
Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Gov. DeSantis: Thin GOP majority means no US House members for Senate