DeSantis says wife has ‘zero’ interest in running for office

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) shot down speculation Monday that his wife, Casey DeSantis, has any interest in running for future office.

During a press conference Monday, DeSantis was asked whether his wife would consider running for Florida governor in 2026 after he finishes his second term in office. He said some people have floated her as a possible gubernatorial candidate because of her work as Florida’s first lady.

“If I had to characterize her interest in getting into the political thicket as a candidate, I would characterize it as zero,” DeSantis said while smiling. “She’s had a front-row seat on all the nonsense that goes on when you do it.”

Florida limits governors to just two consecutive terms in office, prompting speculation as to who will be running to lead the Sunshine State in 2026. A recent poll by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) found that 38 percent of respondents would prefer Casey DeSantis in a hypothetical gubernatorial GOP primary over Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who received 16 percent of the vote.

The poll last month found that 26 percent said they do not know who they would support, and 20 percent said another candidate.

DeSantis launched his own bid for the White House last year but suspended his campaign earlier this year and endorsed Trump.

His wife, Casey, has been central to his campaigns for governor and president and a prominent figure throughout DeSantis’s time in office.

She has launched numerous of her own initiatives, including “Mamas for DeSantis” in 2022 as part of her husband’s reelection campaign. She also launched the Florida Cancer Connect Initiative following her own battle with cancer.