Lara Lee Trump’s astonishing rise in politics continues unabated, indeed – accelerating. She found herself put in place to be CO-Chair of the Republican National Committee, presumably to put further pressure on the GOP to steer money from national donations straight to Donald Trump (Presumed, I do not have evidence). It is hard to think of another reason to name her. Now, with Marco Rubio’s promotion to Secretary of State, a position that he will likely get based on experience, Lara has been angling for the powerful Floridian seat left behind. Governor Ron DeSantis will appoint Rubio’s successor to sit until 2026, a duty that puts him in a particularly humid hotseat, having been left out of Trump’s cabinet and now being lobbied directly by Trump – soon to be president (Hard enough to say “No”), as a candidate who ran against DeSantis, one who likely holds grudges remaining from the primary.
Donald Trump’s pressure was no certainty – it is a bit risky for him. If DeSantis has a candidate in mind, Trump will look weak in pushing a futile cause. And yet Trump did just that, putting maximum pressure on DeSantis by calling up the losing governor and angling hard for his daughter-in-law. Per The Wall Street Journal and linked below:
President-elect Donald Trump recently spoke to Gov. Ron DeSantis about Lara Trump, according to people familiar with the discussion, putting in a good word with his former 2024 GOP presidential primary rival. DeSantis has the job of filling the seat being vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump has selected to be his secretary of state and is expected to be confirmed next year in the Republican-controlled Senate.
If DeSantis picks Lara Trump, it would further fuel her rapid ascendance in politics. The 42-year-old signaled her intentions Sunday night by announcing she was stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee after taking the role earlier this year and helping ensure Trump’s return to the White House.
Lara Trump wants to be the next U.S. senator from Florida, and she has a powerful advocate in her corner: her father-in-law https://t.co/hpUNG38I21
— WSJ Politics (@WSJPolitics) December 9, 2024
Yeah, alright, it would be quite the experience to be on that call between Trump and DeSantis, huh? Several things pop immediately to mind. First, Ron DeSantis is in a no win situation. Well deserved. Weirdly, it’s likely that people spanning the political spectrum may agree that DeSantis made this bed and has to lie in it.
Which brings us to the reason why DeSantis has no obvious move to make, at least from a politically safe spot. Sure, he can appoint Lara Trump and that will likely make Trump happier than the alternative. But Trump is infamous for holding tight to past grudges, especially in circumstances in which he doesn’t get a huge benefit in return. Things got pretty rough in the primary For a time it actually looked like DeSantis could and would win, at least from all the polls (For a brief time). DeSantis took that lead and ran hard with it – probably taking the hardest shots at Trump as compared to any other Republican. He infuriated Trump – according to many reports and Trump tweets. Trump rarely forgets such things, even when asking for a favor.
To the extent there is any proof that Trump remains angry at DeSantis, one need only look at the fact that DeSantis was wholly passed over for any position in the administration. The choices to leave DeSantis on the sideline is a bit weird given that he shares Trump’s gut beliefs in wanting to destroy anything they perceive as “Woke” (Often translated as simply polite), and a brutal approach to immigration. It is not like there was any daylight between the two on policies that would apply to an incoming Secretary of Defense, an Attorney General, or any White House position, the type of positions that one might expect to see the governor appointed. And yet Ron got benched – watching a whole flock of Floridians taking his place, Rubio, Bondi, Gaetz for a time, now possibly Lara – Florida represents! But not DeSantis.
Now, if DeSantis wants a very safe option, he can simply appoint Lara and then see what happens over the next few years. Trump’s penchant for a revolving door cabinet makes it likely that DeSantis may get tapped for an opening that is near guaranteed. Ever safe. And that matters in Republican politics and DeSantis generally. But there is also a significant chance that even such an appointment won’t “trump” the remaining grudge. Plopping Lara Lee into that seat may halt some razor sharp public insults but won’t change the fact that DeSantis could remain forever shut out.
DeSantis may decide that he will likely remain outside Trump’s low-Earth orbit for the foreseeable future and appoint himself to the seat. (I would recommend such to him.) He is term-limited out for a third term as governor and faces a bleak irrelevant future in two years. That’s a big risk. But if he appointed himself, he could go to Washington as “someone” and then lobby for Trump’s agenda against some moderate who remain. It would be one avenue to remain relevant while also efforting to get back in good favor.
And then there is the possibility that DeSantis could make a risky bet in the belief that the voters will turn on Trump if things with the economy go south, or we get dragged into a war. DeSantis could stay where he sits now, somewhat independent of Trump’s vice-grip, waiting to see if Trump’s spell somehow breakes. Of course, it would be terribly risky because there is no good reason to think Trump voters will turn on him. But if DeSantis wants to be president – and he does, it would be the best way to remain relevant, it would put him in a position to start out ahead of others by remaining free of any animosity directed at a Trump administration in a difficult time.
It is very hard to see a means for DeSantis to pocket some good will that propels him forward. He could appoint Lara Lee and still be in the doghouse, a very real possibility given the primary. Such a move would put him in a position to step into any vacancy in a big position around Trump. It does seem inevitable that there will be openings. But there are no guarantees that a “good position” will come open, nor that DeSantis fancies such favor in Trump’s mind.
DeSantis could just say “F-It” and appoint someone else, infuriating Trump further but perhaps inserting himself in some soon to be safe position going forward. There might be a lot of money backing someone else, something DeSantis would love. But appointing someone else leaves him out of politics in 2026 absent some serious change in the dynamic.
Or he can appoint himself, deal with Trump’s already present fury, and hope to win Trump over from the Senate, fighting alongside Rick Scott in a vote count for legislation sure to have some holdouts over the intense changes Trump wants. Or appoint himself on the bet that the voters will soon be critical of Trump such that DeSantis will find a safe harbor amidst a big backlash.
He has a lot of options but I don’t see any that are obviously safe – not from his vantage point and aspirations. There is risk everywhere. Fitting. Of course. Trump supporters will likely say that he earned it – he wasn’t loyal. And the Left, well – obviously, DeSantis is and will forever remain “that guy” who willfully hurt so many Floridians. None of whom are likely to be appointed, or support him in any context.
So be it, Governor. Have at it. But, ummm, watch your step.
God Bless:Â I can be reached at [email protected] and @JasonMiciak on X and now on Bluesky, where skies are bluer.Â
