The Florida Law Standing in Between DeSantis and a Presidential Bid

Florida governor. Ron DeSantis is now running for a position he has not yet declared. Officially, it’s not a campaign. Instead, it’s called a book tour. “The Courage to be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.”

DeSantis will be making two stops on a book-tour this week in IowaIt is important for presidential candidates with its early primaries. It’s possible that he will stop by New Hampshire with its early primaries, too.

DeSantis is working on other parts of his campaign. He has meetings with big donors and is able to get checks. His campaign staff, which is paid by Republican Party, has continued to work.

He has not yet declared his candidacy for the office. According to him, he is first interested in Florida’s legislative sessions that began March 7, and last until May 5, 2007.

But there’s more. Florida law now requires him to resign as governor—in a second term he took the oath of office for just two months ago—if he runs for another office.

Over the last two decades, Florida legislators have been arguing about this law. It was made easier for local or state officials who were considering running for federal office. This happened in late 2000s, when Charlie Crist (then-Governor of Florida) sought to be nominated for vice-presidential.

They changed the law in 2018 under Rick Scott as they realized that it was causing costly special elections and had to be eased. These were avoided by the resign to run law.

If DeSantis resigned, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez could succeed DeSantis to this office.

To ease the law again, no bill has been filed. But behind the scenes, lawmakers in the Republican-controlled legislature quietly acknowledge that a plan for that is coming together.

Both Paul Renner, state House Speaker, and Kathleen Passidomo (Senate Majority Leader) hinted after November’s elections that they were open to fixing the resign or run problem. The Epoch Times reached out to them both for clarifications on their positions.

However, legislators have remained silent on this subject.

As written, the law is unclear. Any change could be called an attempt to clarify it.

Florida Statute 99.012 (4)(a) states: “Any officer who qualifies for federal public office must resign from the office he or she presently holds if the terms, or any part thereof, run concurrently with each other.” It is also stated that the law makes it impossible to resign.

It is important to clarify when DeSantis must resign, if the law hasn’t been changed. His resignation would be required “at least 10 days before the first day of qualifying for the office he or she intends to seek.”

It would be effective no later than the earlier of two dates—the date he would become president if elected, or the date his successor as governor would be required to take office.

Political scientists agree that this leaves plenty of room for maneuverability. Susan MacManus (professor emeritus) at the University of South Florida says that the qualifying deadline for most offices is one deadline.

Floridians seeking to run for Governor, like DeSantis last year, and for federal offices, such as Senate, Congress or Senate, must qualify before June 17, 2022. An individual with conflicting interests would have to resign within 10 days.

A candidate for the presidency must first run in primaries held in different states. MacManus said that DeSantis may not need to resign in Florida until 10 days before his first primary.

Aubrey Jewett from the University of Central Florida suggested that DeSantis could extend the deadline if he believes seeking out a nomination for a party does not equal running for the office. “office.”

Florida law doesn’t allow him to resign until, assuming that he has won the Republican nomination for president, he qualifies for the general election of November 2024.

“There’s some ambiguity, if the law doesn’t change, when Governor DeSantis would be required to file his resignation,” Jewett said. “It’s confusing.”

Jon McGowan, an attorney who specializes in state and federal law. told The Associated Press The same applies. “There’s too much ambiguity.”

New Hampshire’s primary in 2024, which is traditionally and lawfully the first of its kind, remains to be determined.

The national Democratic Party seeks to expel the state and to shake up its primary agenda to bring states with more minorities into office sooner.

New Hampshire resists, but the Republican Party prefers the status quo.

The traditional primary occurred in February.

It was held in 2020 on February 11, 2019, with an expiration date of November 15, 2019. Assuming New Hampshire had the same qualification period in 2019, DeSantis would have only to resign 10 working days prior to an event that falls in mid-November.

Republican voices raised in opposition have all been from outside the legislature—and all supporters of DeSantis’s rival for the nomination, former President Donald Trump.

Critics so far include former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican activist Laura Loomer and ex-state Rep. Anthony Sabatini were among those criticised.

Loomer has regularly attacked DeSantis regarding it. Most recently, she posted a YouTube link on her Twitter account that was dated March 6th.

She criticized his efforts to “abuse his authority,” He says that he “deceived Florida voters” He ran for another term, even though he didn’t intend to finish it. And he accused himself of being ill-informed. “above the law.”

The whole thing smells like the “self-serving political corruption” Associated with “third-world leaders, dictators, or authoritarian individuals.”

The Epoch Times emailed Bryan Griffin and Lindsay Curnutte seeking a reply to Loomer’s comments.

Palin seemed nicer. DeSantis, she said, is too young to be running before the election.

“DeSantis is a great governor, probably the best governor in the nation,” Recently, she spoke at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference).

However “nobody can compare to Trump.”

Jewett agreed with DeSantis’ formidable nature, and that he is not someone with whom legislators want to pick a fight.

“Republicans don’t want to cross him. It could come back to haunt them, particularly in a primary,” Jewett said.

“But I don’t want to overplay that. A lot of it goes back to, he’s really popular, and a lot of Republicans in the legislature like Ron DeSantis. They think he’s good for the party and good for policy.”

“He’s perceived as the head of the Republican party in Florida. He has high popularity within GOP circles across the country and in Florida, and he has so much money.”

MacManus explained that Republicans who are opposed to DeSantis’s legislative agenda don’t possess the votes necessary to prevent the proposed law changes from being introduced.

Jewett indicated that it is likely that lawmakers will attempt to modify the law at the close of session.

During Florida’s 60 day legislative session, DeSantis will be able to keep his eyes on the state and not lose sight of it. In the interim, he will delay his announcement of candidacy.

“Wide speculation is that he wants to wait until the legislative session is over,” Jewett said.

Recently, the Republican National Committee announced that their first presidential debate will be held in Milwaukee in August. Bis now, Trump, Nikki Haley and Vivek Rajaswamy (ex-South Carolina Governor and UN Ambassador), have announced their candidacies.

DeSantis joins a number of prominent Republicans who are expected to announce. These include Sen. Tim Scott, (R-S.C.), and Mike Pompeo (ex-Vice President).

MacManus stated that DeSantis is well-placed to be declared candidacy sooner than later.

Candidates may be pressured to agree to this before donors and campaign staffers will commit to another candidate.

DeSantis has both. He’s already made a significant amount of money, and he still retains many millions in his 2022 reelection campaign. His 2022 campaign staff is also kept on the wings and paid by Republican party.

Jewett stated that he doesn’t need to make any declarations to generate excitement or enthusiasm. “He’s not hurting for those. He could wait until much later in the cycle if he wants to, and not hurt his chances.”

Also, he will be a more attractive target to hostile media or his opponents by waiting.

“Trump is already hammering away at him peripherally. Coming after him with nicknames and highlighting negative things on Truth Social,” Jewett stated that Trump has a social media platform.

“But because DeSantis is not actually in the race yet, he hasn’t gotten both barrels of Donald Trump. Once he’s in the race, I presume that will happen. So that might be a reason to stay out longer—to say out of Trump’s sights longer.”