All the midterm results aren’t in yet, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appears to have seen his opening. People briefed on his intentions say the Republican is planning a 2028 presidential campaign centered on the fact that the GOP in his state largely escaped this week’s Democratic wave, the Washington Post reports. His federal super PAC has begun fundraising again, and DeSantis has contacted at least one national strategist about a campaign. One reason for an opening is the perception that Vice President JD Vance’s presidential chances took a major hit in the midterms.
DeSantis, who labeled the midterm results “close to an extinction-level event for Republicans,” is pitching himself as an alternative to Trumpism after voters broadly rejected GOP candidates and President Trump’s agenda. The governor will be able to draw on lessons from his failed 2024 run—in which he waited to launch, got outspent, and was defined early by Trump’s team. There’s no word yet on whether his donors will reengage, per the Post. His term as governor ends in January, per CBS News. “Florida’s walls not being breached by the blue wave gives DeSantis more credibility than nearly anyone in the opening days of the 2028 primary,” said Dan Eberhart, a longtime Republican donor who served as a surrogate for DeSantis’ 2024 campaign.