{"id":2434835,"date":"2025-05-14T20:33:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T00:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gaetz-calls-casey-desantis-an-absolute-force-in-possible-florida-governor-bid\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T20:34:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T00:34:48","slug":"gaetz-calls-casey-desantis-an-absolute-force-in-possible-florida-governor-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gaetz-calls-casey-desantis-an-absolute-force-in-possible-florida-governor-bid\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaetz calls Casey DeSantis an \u2018absolute force\u2019 in possible Florida governor bid"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgaetz-calls-casey-desantis-an-absolute-force-in-possible-florida-governor-bid%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2434835&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former GOP Representative Matt Gaetz praised Casey DeSantis,Florida&#8217;s First Lady,calling her an &#8220;absolute force&#8221; and an instant frontrunner if she decides to run for governor in the 2026 elections to succeed her husband,Ron DeSantis,who is term-limited. Gaetz&#8217;s endorsement comes as rumors swirl about her potential candidacy, supported by a poll indicating she leads other Republican contenders, including Gaetz himself, in popularity among party voters. <\/p>\n<p>Despite not having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-black-democrat-governor-of-virginia-blasts-democrat-candidate-terry-mcauliffe-over-racism-scandal\/\" title=\"Former Black Democrat ... Of Virginia Blasts Democrat Candidate Terry McAuliffe Over Racism Scandal\">held elected office<\/a>, Casey DeSantis is recognized as a significant figure in Florida politics, having actively contributed to her husband&#8217;s gubernatorial campaigns. Recent polling indicates a potential competitive race, especially wiht endorsements from influential figures like Donald Trump. Gaetz&#8217;s backing may signal increasing support within the conservative base for Casey DeSantis as the GOP primary landscape begins to take shape. <\/p>\n<p>Florida has undergone ample demographic growth and political shifts under Ron DeSantis&#8217;s governance, which may influence the dynamics of the upcoming governor&#8217;s race. Casey DeSantis, with a background in media and a focus on mental health, substance abuse, and disaster relief initiatives, could leverage her visibility and connections in a potential bid for governor. In response to public concerns about the future leadership following her husband&#8217;s governance, Casey emphasized the importance of focusing on legislative priorities rather than electoral speculation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Matt Gaetz calls Casey DeSantis an &lsquo;absolute force&rsquo; in possible Florida governor bid<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2075149\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former GOP Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/matt-gaetz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Matt Gaetz\">Matt Gaetz<\/a>, long rumored to be eyeing a bid for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Florida\">Florida<\/a> governor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gina-caranos-former-mandalorian-co-star-speaks-up-for-her-calls-cancel-culture-baffling\/\" title=\"Gina Carano\u2019s Former Mandalorian Co-Star Speaks Up For Her,\u2019 Calls Cancel Culture Baffling\">offered high praise<\/a> to Florida first lady Casey DeSantis on Wednesday, calling her an &ldquo;absolute force&rdquo; and suggesting she would instantly become the front-runner if she entered the state&rsquo;s 2026 gubernatorial race.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If @CaseyDeSantis announced tomorrow she was running for Governor she would be an absolute force &ndash; and probably the instant frontrunner,&rdquo; Gaetz <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mattgaetz\/status\/1922713132213907567\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"wrote\">wrote<\/a> on X, formerly Twitter, alongside a video of her speaking.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3411071\/jack-ciattarelli-touts-trump-endorsement-new-jersey-governor\/\">Jack Ciattarelli touts Trump endorsement for New Jersey governor and slams opponent&#8217;s shade: &#8216;Can&#8217;t help himself&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3411320\/gop-plan-legislative-majorities-virginia-new-jersey-races\/\">GOP presents plan to seize legislative majorities in Virginia and New Jersey this November<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3410486\/20-states-suing-trump-funding-threats-immigration-enforcement\/\">Twenty states sue Trump over funding threats related to immigration enforcement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>His endorsement comes amid mounting speculation that she is seriously considering a run to succeed her husband, Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ron-desantis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Ron DeSantis\">Ron DeSantis<\/a> (R-FL), who is term-limited.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CaseyDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CaseyDeSantis<\/a> announced tomorrow she was running for Governor she would be an absolute force &ndash; and probably the instant frontrunner. <\/p>\n<p>If you don&rsquo;t believe me, watch this performance &#128071;<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jhn62iczbb\">pic.twitter.com\/jhn62iczbb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mattgaetz\/status\/1922713132213907567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 14, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Despite never holding elected office, Casey DeSantis has become a well-known figure in Florida politics, playing a central role in her husband&rsquo;s two successful gubernatorial campaigns. She was also highly visible during his 2024 presidential run.<\/p>\n<p>A February 2025 poll by the University of North Florida&rsquo;s Public Opinion Research Lab found Casey DeSantis leading the early field of possible Republican contenders, including Gaetz himself, Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/byron-donalds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Byron Donalds\">Byron Donalds<\/a> (R-FL), and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. Casey DeSantis garnered favorable views from 57% of Republican voters, outpacing Gaetz by 12 percentage points.<\/p>\n<p>However, more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/between-99-and-100-jason-miller-says-trump-is-definitely-running-in-2024\/\" title=\"\u2018Between 99 And 100%\u2019: Jason Miller Says Trump Is \u2018Definitely\u2019 ...ning In 2024\">recent polling suggests<\/a> the race could be more competitive, particularly with the weight of an endorsement from President Donald Trump. In early May, a poll by the conservative James Madison Institute showed Donalds leading Casey DeSantis 44% to 25% among Republican voters but only after respondents were told Trump had endorsed Donalds. Before the endorsement was disclosed, the two were in a statistical tie, with Casey DeSantis at 29% and Donalds at 28%.<\/p>\n<p>Gaetz&rsquo;s public support could signal growing conservative momentum behind the Florida first lady as the GOP primary field begins to take shape. Gaetz, a high-profile Trump ally, had previously been considered a possible gubernatorial candidate but has faced lingering controversy following a House Ethics Committee investigation.<\/p>\n<p>Florida&rsquo;s political and demographic landscape has shifted notably under Ron DeSantis&rsquo;s leadership. The state has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-and-iowa-cities-become-first-to-request-special-second-census-count-similar-to-2020\/\" title=\"Illinois and Iowa cities seek second census count, like 2020\">experienced significant population growth<\/a> since he took office in 2019. Between July 2022 and July 2023, Florida saw a net gain of 365,205 people. This trend aligns with earlier periods; for instance, between July 2020 and July 2021, the state&rsquo;s population grew by more than 211,000, leading the nation in net migration during the pandemic. Florida&rsquo;s population surpassed 23 million for the first time in 2024, making it the third most populous state.<\/p>\n<p>Ron DeSantis&rsquo;s conservative governance may have played a role in attracting certain individuals, but it is one of many elements contributing to the state&rsquo;s growth.<\/p>\n<p>The Florida governor has also drawn praise for his leadership during natural disasters. Under his administration, Florida enhanced their hurricane recovery efforts, with a strong focus on preparing linemen and expediting infrastructure rebuilding. In response to hurricanes like Milton and Helene, the state coordinated the deployment of over 50,000 linemen, including out-of-state crews, which helped restore power to more than 4 million customers in less than a week after Hurricane Milton.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, following Hurricane Ian, the Florida Department of Transportation prioritized emergency repairs to the Sanibel Causeway, restoring access to the island by rebuilding a bridge in under three days. Ron DeSantis ordered the accelerated repairs to support first responders and allow recovery operations to proceed without delay. These <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >record-breaking executive actions earned<\/a> the governor praise for cutting through red tape with fast, effective disaster response and infrastructure restoration.<\/p>\n<p>Casey DeSantis has been considered a rising star in the Florida Republican Party and has focused on initiatives in mental health, substance abuse prevention, children&rsquo;s welfare, and disaster recovery. She previously worked as a local news anchor, reporter, and television personality. Her name recognition, built-in fundraising networks, and statewide visibility could aid her potential bid.<\/p>\n<p>Donalds recently sent out a fundraising pitch to &ldquo;make up ground fast.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t afford to lose this race, or see Republicans get swept off the map across the entire country,&rdquo; the fundraising letter <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EmperorDeSantis\/status\/1922743526971838522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"stated\">stated<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/watch\/2121628\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"NEWSOM TO ROLL OUT REVISED BUDGET THAT IS AT LEAST $10 BILLION IN THE RED\"><strong>NEWSOM TO ROLL OUT REVISED BUDGET THAT IS AT LEAST $10 BILLION IN THE RED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the video of Casey DeSantis that Gaetz posted on Wednesday, she is seen emphasizing the importance of legislative priorities over electoral discussions. She highlighted the necessity of passing a state budget and reaffirmed her commitment to the policies championed by her husband.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I understand why people are concerned about the future leadership,&rdquo; she remarked, acknowledging the public&rsquo;s attachment to her husband&rsquo;s tenure. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s more than a year away from qualifying. We need to focus on delivering on the promises we made to the people of Florida.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2075149\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2075149\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matt Gaetz praises Casey DeSantis as a strong contender for Florida governor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2678,"featured_media":2434836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Casey-DeSantis.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[51333,50784,3624,32504,32085],"class_list":["post-2434835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-casey-desantis","tag-florida-governor","tag-gaetz","tag-political-strategy","tag-republican-party"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Casey-DeSantis.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2434835"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2434839,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434835\/revisions\/2434839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2434835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2434835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2434835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}