Ron Desantis In The Shadows As Florida Republicans Toast Trump's Team

ORLANDO, Fla. — By nan clip Susie Wiles took nan shape present astatine nan authorities Republican Party’s biggest arena of nan year, it was clear who nan prima of nan show was — and arsenic as important, who was not.

Wiles, President Donald Trump’s longtime advisor and his existent main of staff, was astatine nan arena to person nan party’s “Statesman of nan Year” award, its highest honor.

“I find it amazingly awesome that almost each speaker has talked astir elector registration and grassroots,” she told nan assemblage of statement dignitaries. “It is nan backbone of what we do and why we do it and why we win.”

As nan evening went on, speaker aft speaker hailed Wiles, pinch 1 calling her nan “most powerful female successful nan world.” Along pinch her keynote address, nan main information of nan play normal was dominated by figures successful Trump’s soul circle — immoderate of whom had, for illustration Wiles, antecedently worked for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier publically falling retired pinch him.

White House main of unit Susie Wiles received an grant from nan Florida Republican Party.Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The lineup underpinned really abruptly nan Florida GOP appears to person moved connected from DeSantis, nan man who had for nan past 5 years been, by far, its astir salient fig and besides was erstwhile named nan party’s “Statesman of nan Year.”

After DeSantis’ dominating 2022 re-election bid, he quickly turned to flirting pinch a tally for president, a move that near his powerfulness successful Florida Republican circles astir unchecked arsenic astir successful nan statement were eager to manus nan politician victories to boost his chances of getting nan Republican nomination.

But DeSantis mislaid to Trump, who besides calls Florida home. And complete nan play here, it became clear that not only has Trump taken complete nan Republican Party astatine nan nationalist level, but nan authorities statement has besides afloat gotten connected board.

“Make nary mistake, this is Donald Trump’s — not Ron DeSantis’ — GOP,” an advisor to nan Florida GOP said. “Anyone who thinks different has not paid attraction since Iowa. Voters are fresh to move guardant and not attraction connected figures of nan past.”

“Florida will proceed to beryllium nan nationalist modular bearer, pinch aliases without Ron DeSantis,” nan personification added.

That sentiment was palpable complete nan play astatine nan Rosen Shingle Creek edifice that hosted nan Florida GOP event.

Along pinch Wiles, Trump lawman main of unit James Blair, a erstwhile DeSantis management official, addressed nan audience, arsenic did Tony Fabrizio, Trump’s apical pollster, who was joined connected shape by Chris LaCivita, nan co-manager of Trump’s 2024 statesmanlike campaign.

Not only was nan Trump taxable overwhelming astatine nan event, nan emotion of nan statement moving connected was made much acute because galore who were fixed premier speaking slots were those pinch whom DeSantis has had nationalist feuds successful nan past — astir notably Wiles. LaCivita besides spent overmuch of nan early phases of nan 2024 statesmanlike run attacking DeSantis, including calling him a “sad small man.”

DeSantis did springiness a well-received reside astatine nan event, but was fixed a 2 p.m. speaking time, which was good earlier nan main meal speeches that featured nan Trump-heavy lineup.

“I’m judge he was not thrilled by it,” said a erstwhile DeSantis advisor who remains an state of nan governor. “He had to notice, it was difficult not to. But I would constituent to his polling numbers. He’s still a very celebrated fig pinch Florida Republicans.”

In July, a canvass from nan University of North Florida had DeSantis’ support marginally standing higher than Trump’s, 83% to 82%, pinch some remaining overwhelmingly celebrated pinch Republican voters successful nan state.

But on pinch his diminished beingness astatine nan authorities statement arena wherever he was erstwhile nan star, DeSantis for nan first clip since first being elected successful 2018 received important pushback from nan state’s Republican-dominated Legislature earlier this twelvemonth connected an migration measurement — a move that sent clear signals that his banal pinch Florida Republican leaders is dropping.

His position successful his ain authorities will besides proceed to beryllium challenged successful nan 2026 midterms, arsenic he struggles to find a campaigner he tin support to switch him arsenic governor.

The existent front-runner is Rep. Byron Donalds, who was quickly endorsed by Trump and has amassed an early warfare thorax of much than $22 million. Many of DeSantis’ supporters person publically attacked Donalds, who has not yet returned fire, and location is small anticipation that DeSantis will endorse his campaign.

The astir salient sanction to see getting successful nan title has been DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis, but aft months of speculation, she does not look poised to make immoderate announcement successful nan adjacent future.

Polling had Casey DeSantis and Donalds cervix and neck, but aft Trump’s endorsement, Donalds quickly trim into what was erstwhile her dominating lead.

“Casey DeSantis was an early favourite erstwhile we asked astir this successful autumn of 2023 pinch 22%, up of Donalds pinch 9%, and 40% undecided, but aft Trump’s endorsement of Donalds and arsenic we get person to August 2026, DeSantis’ lead has each but disappeared," Michael Binder, caput of UNF’s polling department, said successful precocious July. It’s "now wrong nan separator of correction for this poll,” he said.