DeSantis says decision on Rubio replacement will likely be made 'by beginning of January'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Monday that he will likely make a decision on who will replace President-elect Trump’s secretary of State pick Sen. Marco Rubio (R) in the upper chamber by January. 

“We have already received strong interest from several possible candidates, and we continue to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting,” DeSantis wrote in a post on the social platform X. 

“More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January,” he continued. 

Speculation over who will replace Rubio has reached a fever pitch, with Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, emerging as a key contender. 

A number of lawmakers, including Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.), as well as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), have publicly backed Lara Trump. 

Other names floated to replace Rubio include DeSantis’s chief of staff James Uthmeier, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) and state Attorney General Ashley Moody (R).

Supporters of Lara Trump argue that having her in the Senate would ensure that the president-elect has two Senate allies representing Florida, which has become the center of the GOP universe. However, choosing someone like Uthmeier would ensure DeSantis has one of his closest allies in the chamber. 

DeSantis and the president-elect have historically had a rocky relationship, becoming close allies during the governor’s 2018 first gubernatorial bid but engaging in a fierce rivalry as they faced off during the 2024 GOP presidential primary.

The two patched up their rivalry earlier this year during a meeting, which Trump called “great.” DeSantis was also given a speaking role at the Republican National Convention. 

Some Republicans argue appointing Lara Trump could give DeSantis an opportunity to further strengthen his relationship with the president-elect.