How Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will shape his state’s 2026 midterm race
The outgoing governor and former presidential candidate has transformed Florida into a conservative policy vanguard.
Across his two terms, the 48-year-old politician has overhauled the state’s political landscape, turning what was once a swing state into a Republican stronghold.
The Florida governor has also established himself as a key national figure in United States politics. During the 2024 presidential race, he was considered one of the chief Republican challengers to President Donald Trump.
DeSantis leaves office in January: Due to term limits, he cannot run in a third election for governor.
Trump himself made the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, his permanent residence in 2019, in a move widely speculated to take advantage of Florida’s favourable tax regime.