TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After President-elect Donald Trump tapped Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio last week to become the next secretary of state, rumors have swirled about who Gov. Ron DeSantis will name to fill the vacancy.
DeSantis posted Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that with Rubio expected to resign from the Senate in January, it would create a vacancy in about two months.
The governor said he has already received "strong interest from several possible candidates" as he and his team begin the vetting process.
Senator Marco Rubio is expected to resign from the Senate to assume duties as Secretary of State when the Trump administration takes power on January 20th, creating a vacancy roughly two months from today.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 18, 2024
We have already received strong interest from several possible…
"More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January," DeSantis said in the post.
The governor hinted that the person he chooses will be someone tough on immigration and other issues that were focal points of Trump's campaign and election victory.
"Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation's fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results," DeSantis said.
Trump's Cabinet and staff selections have had strong connections to Florida in the weeks following his decisive victory.
In addition to Rubio, Trump named Susie Wiles — who worked on the Trump campaign in 2016, as well as for Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis at various times — to be his chief of staff; Florida Rep. Mike Waltz was named to the post of national security adviser; Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was tapped to become the next attorney general.
