Florida Times

Florida: Driving America's New Greatness.
Sunday, Nov 30, 2025

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Teases Imminent Announcement of Marco Rubio’s Senate Replacement

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Teases Imminent Announcement of Marco Rubio’s Senate Replacement

DeSantis to name successor to Rubio ahead of Trump’s inauguration, with speculation surrounding Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody as the leading contender.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has confirmed that the announcement of his pick to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will come soon, likely before Rubio’s confirmation as Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump.

DeSantis, speaking on conservative radio with host Erick Erickson, explained that he had deliberately waited until the final moment to make the announcement to protect his nominee from media scrutiny.

Rubio, who has represented Florida in the Senate since 2011, was questioned by U.S. senators on January 20 as part of the confirmation process for his new role.

DeSantis stated, 'I think Senator Rubio is likely going to get confirmed and officially appointed in the afternoon of January 20th.' The governor also emphasized that he did not want to name a successor too early, explaining that this would subject the new appointee to relentless media attacks.

He preferred to wait until the timing was right, just ahead of the inauguration.

The governor's decision to delay the announcement has generated widespread speculation about who will take over Rubio’s seat.

One prominent figure who has been linked to the role is Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who accompanied DeSantis at a press conference on January 16 to discuss the upcoming special legislative session on immigration.

DeSantis, in his conversation with Erickson, confirmed that he would not appoint a sitting U.S. House member to the Senate, citing concerns over the delicate balance in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority.

'If you put someone there and it reduces the numbers in the House, it may make it harder for them to enact an agenda,' DeSantis remarked.

The governor’s remarks on his Senate pick come as he also prepares for a special session on illegal immigration scheduled to begin on January 27. The choice of Rubio’s successor will be critical for DeSantis’s political strategy as it could influence the Republican agenda in the Senate, particularly in relation to immigration policy, a priority for President Trump.

The announcement of the Senate replacement is expected to take place shortly, with DeSantis hinting that it could coincide with his scheduled press conference in Orlando on Thursday morning.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump: National Guard Soldier Who Was Shot in Washington Has Died; Second Soldier Fighting for His Life
"I Would Have Given Her a Kidney": She Lent Bezos’s Ex-Wife $1,000 — and Received Millions in Return
Joe and Hunter Biden Step Out Together in Nantucket — First Public Sighting Since Leaving the White House
Trump-McCrery Dispute Exposes Rift Over Gigantic New White House Ballroom Plan
Trump Seeks Additional 500 National Guard Troops for Washington After Ambush Near White House
Two National Guard Soldiers Shot Near White House; Afghan-Born Suspect in Custody, Trump Labels It Terror
Tensions Surface in Trump-MBS Talks as Saudi Pushes Back on Israel Normalisation
COP30 Ends Without Fossil Fuel Phase-Out as US, Saudi Arabia and Russia Align in Obstruction Role
NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani Reveals Unusual Book He Spotted at White House
Melania Trump Welcomes White House Christmas Tree in Festive Holiday Tradition
Federal Judge Dismisses Cases Against Comey and James Over Illegal Prosecutor Appointment
Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince for Major Defence and Investment Agreements
Wealthy New Yorkers Weigh Second Homes as the ‘Mamdani Effect’ Ripples Through Luxury Markets
Families Accuse OpenAI of Enabling ‘AI-Driven Delusions’ After Multiple Suicides
Graphic ‘Blood Libel’ Display at Washington’s Union Station Sparks National Alarm
Trump’s Grand Saudi Welcome Highlights U.S.–Riyadh Pivot as Israel Watches Warily
U.S. Set to Sell F-35 Jets to Saudi Arabia in Major Strategic Shift
Saudi Arabia Doubles Down on U.S. Partnership in Strategic Move
UK’s Starmer and US President Trump Align as Geneva Talks Probe Ukraine Peace Plan
Fugees Founding Member Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in High-Profile US Foreign Influence Case
WhatsApp’s Unexpected Rise Reshapes American Messaging Habits
United States: Judge Dressed Up as Elvis During Hearings – and Was Forced to Resign
U.S. Peace Plan for Ukraine Faces Pushback from European Allies
Trump and Mayor-Elect Mamdani Strike Unlikely Alliance at White House Meeting
Ukraine’s Allies Demand Revisions to U.S.-Led Peace Plan at G20 Meeting
Trump Elevates Saudi Arabia to Major Non-NATO Ally Amid Defense Deal
US–China Trade Truce Faces Thanksgiving Deadline Amid Divergent Accounts
Trump Elevates Saudi Arabia to Major Non-NATO Ally as MBS Visit Yields Deepened Ties
Iran Appeals to Saudi Arabia to Mediate Restart of U.S. Nuclear Talks
Zelenskyy Signals Progress Toward Ending the War: ‘One of the Hardest Moments in History’ (end of his business model?)
U.S. Issues Alert Declaring Venezuelan Airspace a Hazard Due to Escalating Security Conditions
Lawmaker Seeks Declassification of ‘Shocking’ 2019 Call Between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince
US and Saudi Arabia Forge Strategic Defence Pact Featuring F-35 Sale and $1 Trillion Investment Pledge
Alaska Approves National Guard Deployment to Washington, D.C. in 2026 Ahead of Legal Block on Similar Mission
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C.
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Emerges as Key Contender in Warner Bros. Discovery Sale
Ronaldo Joins Trump and Saudi Crown Prince’s Gala Amid U.S.–Gulf Tech and Investment Surge
Trump to Host NYC Mayor-Elect Mamdani at White House in Unexpected Turn
Trump and Mamdani to Meet at the White House: “The Communist Asked”
U.S. Clears Export of Advanced AI Chips to Saudi Arabia and UAE Amid Strategic Tech Partnership
Nvidia Again Beats Forecasts, Shares Jump in After-Hours Trading
Trump Uses McDonald’s Summit to Recast Economic Message on Affordability
Elon Musk Returns to White House for Dinner with President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince
President Trump Holds White House Meeting With FIFA 2026 Task Force Ahead of World Cup
President Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington Amid Strategic Deal Talks
Cristiano Ronaldo Joins Trump-Bin Salman White House Meeting Amid Saudi Outreach
Saudi Crown Prince to Press Trump for Direct U.S. Role in Ending Sudan War
Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince: Five Key Takeaways from the White House Meeting
Trump Firmly Defends Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi Murder Amid Washington Visit
Trump Backs Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi Killing Amid White House Visit
×