President Trump’s endorsement in a Republican primary race typically sends the competition running.
That may not be the case in Florida’s gubernatorial contest, where Gov. Ron DeSantis’ wife, Casey, is considering running against Mr. Trump’s preferred candidate, Rep. Byron Donalds.
Mrs. DeSantis is well-regarded across the state and is viewed as a strong contender to succeed her term-limited husband. Enthusiasm among Republicans cooled after Mr. Donalds announced his run with Mr. Trump’s blessing.
“There’s no question about it that Byron Donalds is the prohibitive favorite to win the Republican primary and be the next Republican governor of Florida,” said Ford O’Connell, a Republican Party strategist with Florida roots.
“If Casey DeSantis were to enter the race, and a bunch of other people, it could become problematic, but the bottom line is, Donalds has the Trump endorsement, and the Trump endorsement right now is not political gold; it’s political platinum,” he said.
Political insiders are offering reminders that endorsements alone do not win elections, and they say plenty of time remains before the August 2026 primary.
Mr. DeSantis’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
Mrs. DeSantis was arguably the most prominent spouse on the 2024 Republican presidential campaign trail.
The 44-year-old mother of three received glowing reviews in the early primary states, including from voters who said she helped humanize her husband.
“I think most political analysts would say she’s more personable than Ron in many ways,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida. “That came out on the stump in Iowa.”
“He’s just not really good at retail politics, but she is,” said Mr. Jewett, noting Mrs. DeSantis’ background as a television news anchor in Jacksonville. “She is a very effective communicator who looks good and sounds good.”
Mr. Donalds has been rolling out endorsements to fend off potential rivals, including this week from Donald Trump Jr. and the Club for Growth, a conservative group.
Mr. Trump’s inner circle has coalesced around Mr. Donalds, a chief surrogate for the president on the campaign trail.
Axios reported that Tony Fabrizio and Chris LaCivita, who played prominent roles in the Trump campaign, are working for Mr. Donalds.
Florida’s first family learned the hard way what happens when they cross paths with Mr. Trump.
Mr. DeSantis ignored Mr. Trump’s warnings for 2024 and launched a primary presidential campaign. Mr. Trump waged a brutal countercampaign casting “Ron DeSanctimonious” as a stiff, sniveling fool who begged “on his knees” for his support in the 2018 Florida governor’s race.
The prospect of the DeSantises bucking the Trump machine again has intensified interest in the 2026 gubernatorial contest.
Earlier this month, Mr. DeSantis added to the intrigue by posting a picture of his wife teeing off at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach with Mr. Trump watching nearby.
The Donalds camp has released a survey showing he has a 34% to 30% edge over Mrs. DeSantis in a hypothetical one-on-one showdown.
Mr. Donalds’ lead grows to 45% to 23% when voters learn he has Mr. Trump’s support but dips to 38% to 28% when voters are told Mr. DeSantis is supporting his wife’s candidacy.
“Much like the DeSantises’ fool’s errand in 2024 against President Trump where he got crushed, this data shows that the DeSantises would suffer a similar fate in Florida if Casey should run for Governor,” Mr. Fabrizio said in a statement to Florida Politics.
“The only real questions are: Will they betray President Trump again? And how many Tallahassee fools will follow them off the cliff a second time to do so?” he said.
Mr. DeSantis has signaled that his wife would be up to the challenge.
Days after Mr. Trump urged Mr. Donalds to enter the race, Mr. DeSantis told reporters, “She’s somebody that has, I think, the intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles.
“Anything we’ve accomplished, she’d be able to take to the next level,” he said.
Mr. DeSantis suggested that Mr. Donalds wouldn’t be a significant threat.
“We’ve achieved victories in Florida,” he said. “A guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years.”
