ANNALS OF DeSANTISTAN: As GOP rift widens, DeSantis pledges money to elect ‘strong conservative’ successor. (Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, January 30, 2025)

Within a week of this story, DeSANTIS's spouse, CASEY DeSANTIS, expressed interest in running for Governor.  Good luck with that, ma'am! Does RONALD DION DeSANTIS, our bigoted, bumptious Boy Governor, our maladroit feculent Fox News former Congressman from St. Johns County (2013-2018) lack relevance in 2025 as a seemingly overbearingly raucous, noisy, noisome, rebarbative racist redneck hick hack rude loudmouth lame duck sad sack?  You tell me.  From Orlando Sentinel:

As GOP rift widens, DeSantis pledges money to elect ‘strong conservative’ successor

His Florida Freedom (sic) Fund already helped defeat Amendments 3 and 4

Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to raise fund to support a “strong conservative” candidate to succeed him. (Tampa Bay Times)

By SKYLER SWISHER | sswisher@orlandosentinel.com | Orlando Sentinel

UPDATED: January 30, 2025 at 5:43 PM EST

As a rift widens within the Florida GOP, Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will raise funds to help elect a “strong conservative” to succeed him and urged potential candidates to get on board with his immigration plan.

Though DeSantis has not made an endorsement, he vowed Thursday that his Florida Freedom (sic) Fund political committee will support candidates in legislative primaries and the 2026 governor’s race. The effort could shore up DeSantis’ political clout at a time it might otherwise erode, given his status as a lame duck.

“We need to elect strong leaders who will build off FL’s success and who will deliver on the promises made to voters,” he said in a social media post.

The announcement came as DeSantis and Republican legislative leaders — who in recent years have reliably kowtowed to the governor — clashed over a sweeping $500 million immigration bill dubbed the TRUMP Act.

The GOP-controlled Florida Legislature passed its own immigration package Tuesday, rejecting the governor’s plan and igniting a heated debate over which version is best aligned with President Donald Trump’s vision on the issue.

Speaking in Palm Beach County Thursday, DeSantis said GOP gubernatorial hopefuls need to support his proposal over the Legislature’s.

“If you are not willing to come out now and oppose this swampy piece of legislation, you are not going to get elected governor in this state,” he said. “I can guarantee it. This is hot. This is something that people remember.”

DeSantis has vowed to veto the Legislature’s immigration bill, calling it a “half-baked” measure. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton stand by the bill, saying it is tough and was crafted with assistance from the Trump White House.

A key source of contention is the question of who should serve as the state’s chief immigration officer. The Legislature’s bill would put the elected agriculture commissioner in charge. DeSantis opposes this move, arguing that Wilton Simpson — viewed as a possible 2026 gubernatorial contender —would be influenced by special agricultural interests, weakening Florida’s efforts to combat illegal immigration.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson in Tallahassee. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)

Other potential GOP candidates for governor include U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and newly appointed U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody.  First lady Casey DeSantis has dismissed speculation she may run, saying she has “zero” interest in succeeding her husband.

The Legislature’s immigration bill provides funding for local law enforcement to train and help federal immigration officials, allows the leasing of jails and state prisons to hold detainees and enhances penalties for people who are in the country illegally and commit crimes. It also rolls back in-state tuition for students who are in the country illegally.

But it rejects many of the proposals DeSantis outlined in his legislation, including expanding the transport of unauthorized immigrants to foreign countries, refusing bail for undocumented aliens when they are arrested, and prohibiting undocumented immigrants from sending money to their friends and relatives in their home country.

In 2024, the Florida Freedom (sic) Fund raised about $8.6 million to oppose ballot initiatives that would have legalized recreational marijuana and protect abortion rights. Both measures failed to get the 60% supermajority vote needed to pass.

About $2.1 million of the fund remains unspent, according to campaign finance records.