The current Governor is giving his potential successor a platform.
The post Ron DeSantis to appear with Byron Donalds at Tampa ‘leadership forum’ appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
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Gov. Ron DeSantis is making his most public show of support for Republicans on the November ballot, including gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds.
DeSantis is booked to appear with Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Attorney General James Uthmeier and Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia at an event Sept. 1 in Tampa at T. Pepin’s Hospitality Center.
The Governor has held events with the Cabinet officials on numerous occasions, but this will be his first event with Donalds since the grand opening of Alligator Alcatraz last year. At that point, Donalds said the dynamic with the Governor was a “work in progress.”
As recently as Wednesday, DeSantis ducked a question about campaigning with his prospective successor. But with this event booked, the chilliness between the two has reached a post-Primary thaw.
Donalds has said the two have been talking since the election last week.
DeSantis and Donalds had an alliance in previous years, with the Naples Congressman helping DeSantis with debate prep in his 2018 race against Andrew Gillum. But the dynamic chilled when Donalds backed Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential Primary.
While DeSantis once said Donalds had been no help in the battles to defeat recreational marijuana and abortion amendments in 2024, the Governor has moved on from that disappointment in the interest of party unity.
DeSantis’ actions during the Primary campaign were taken as encouragement by various opponents of Donalds.
DeSantis called for debates, amplifying a position taken by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and others. DeSantis also said former House Speaker Paul Renner would have been a “good Governor,” even as he questioned his ability to get traction statewide.
While the Primary was fractious, Donalds has been joined on the campaign trail by Renner already. Collins and Donalds have said nice things about each other, suggesting a co-appearance may be on the horizon.
The post Ron DeSantis to appear with Byron Donalds at Tampa ‘leadership forum’ appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
