Intense jockeying in GOP circles to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who’s coasting toward Senate confirmation to become secretary of State, has Republicans fearing Gov. Ron DeSantis' potential pick could jeopardize the path for President-elect Trump’s agenda.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is working with a razor-thin margin, with some cautioning that tapping another House member could create a rockier landscape and potentially temporarily put the majority at risk.
Trump has already poached a number of members of Congress to serve in his administration, including Rubio and Reps. Elise Stefanik and Michael Waltz, leaving Johnson with a barely manageable majority. Now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is considering picking off another House Republican to fill Rubio’s Senate seat.
DeSantis spoke this week with Florida Reps. Kat Cammack, a rising star and Trump ally who is also close with DeSantis, and Cory Mills, a MAGA firebrand, sources told the Daily Beast. And he acknowledged on Monday that he’s well aware of the practical implications at play for advancing Trump’s agenda.
”Are you going to go from 217 to 216? That’s a tough, tough thing,” DeSantis said at a news conference.
The discussions between DeSantis and the two House lawmakers he is eyeing to fill Rubio’s Senate seat come as Speaker Johnson walks a tightrope trying to not to lose more than two votes on any one bill to advance Trump’s agenda.
Multiple GOP sources raised concerns that plucking either Cammack or Mills from the House could be disastrous for Johnson—and for Trump.
Two sources tell the Beast that Cammack is the most likely choice if DeSantis decided to tap a House member. He praised her on Monday as “a fighter” with “a great record.”
But some GOP House sources argue with special elections needed to fill the vacancies left by former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Waltz, who Trump has chosen to be his national security adviser, the math may not be as bad as some fear. They say the practical impact would be minimal.
”If Governor DeSantis appoints a member from the House to fill the soon-to-be-open U.S. Senate seat, the House margins would shift from 217-215 to 216-215. In either scenario, House Republicans need unanimous support from all members to pass any measure; otherwise, it will fail. Therefore, technically, nothing changes,” one senior GOP source said.
And GOP operative noted that Cammack and Mills serve in safe red districts, with their seats almost definitely remaining in Republican control in the event of a special election.
Sources noted that Cammack—who was spotted leaving the speaker’s office on Monday not long after DeSantis’ press conference—held out on endorsing in the presidential primary longer than most, which could be beneficial as DeSantis weighs his options.
Mills, whose supporters applaud him as a necessary disrupter in Washington, has expressed interest in running for the Senate in 2026 regardless of who DeSantis taps, potentially teeing up a primary depending on who the governor selects. But critics have begun to take aim at the Florida Republican, with some pointing to the House Ethics Committee’s recently launched probe into unspecified allegations against Mills.
“While I feel I would add value and be better positioned to help President Trump’s America First agenda, we will have to see what the governor decides. Either way, it’s an honor to be considered for the Senate and appreciate the positive feedback the governor gave after our interview,” Mills said.
DeSantis and Trump were seen in golf attire at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday ahead of the governor’s anticipated announcement on who will replace Rubio. And conservative commentator Martha Fain posted a photo at Flagler Steakhouse at the Breakers hotel on her Instagram feed with DeSantis in the background stating: “Ron said he spoke with Reps. Kat Cammack and Cory Mills regarding the Senate.”
Multiple GOP sources said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is also a top contender to replace Rubio. Two sources noted that DeSantis’ chief of staff James Uthmeier—who has also been floated as a potential Senate pick—has expressed interest in being the next Florida attorney general, with the position potentially opening if Moody is tapped.
Freshman Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), who previously served as president of the Florida Senate—praised Moody, telling the Daily Beast she “is an incredibly talented leader in the state of Florida. She’s done a remarkable job of making sure that the goals, not only set up by the governor but by the legislature, are implemented.”
The timing of any special election to fill a potential House vacancy would take place sometime after April 1.