Ron DeSantis will no longer be governor of Florida in 2027. But his influence will be felt.
DeSantis has turned the state’s direction to fit his agenda more aggressively than any modern governor.
He has overseen a Republican dominance in the Florida Legislature, waged war on diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI) and what he called “wokeism,” re-opened the state to business as the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning, overhauled the state educational system and installed allies in leadership positions, appointed five of the state’s seven Supreme Court justices, and successfully waged war against two constitutional amendments he didn’t like.
His unrelenting efforts to purge the state of undocumented immigrants have been cited by the Department of Homeland Security as a model for the rest of the country, although immigration experts have said Florida’s “blueprint” is unconstitutional and a major overreach of state authority.
During his terms, DeSantis saw a rise in Republican voters where Florida was previously an evenly-mixed swing state. GOP voters now outnumber Democrats by over 1.3 million.
What happens next? Can he run again?
When does DeSantis’ term end?
DeSantis was first elected in 2018 and began his first term in office on Jan. 8, 2019. He was reelected by a landslide in 2022.
What are the qualifications for Florida governor?
He will be ineligible to run again in the next Florida gubernatorial election in 2026 and will leave office in January 2027.
The governor must be at least 30 years old and have been a resident and registered voter of Florida for at least seven years, according to the Florida Constitution.
The same qualifications hold for lieutenant governor and each cabinet member.
How old is Ron DeSantis?
DeSantis is 46 years old. His birthday is September 14.
Is DeSantis up for reelection? Could DeSantis run for Florida governor again?
While DeSantis isn’t up for reelection, he could someday run for governor of Florida again.
The Florida Constitution says, “No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term.”
But that would not prevent DeSantis from running again after someone else has served a term as governor since it wouldn’t be consecutive. And that’s assuming that restriction isn’t changed before his time runs out.
Can Casey DeSantis run for governor?
Casey DeSantis, the governor’s wife, is a popular choice among many Republicans to succeed him, but she has not yet filed paperwork or declared her candidacy.
According to a July poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL), Casey DeSantis has a slim lead over Rep. Byron Donalds — who has declared his candidacy and received an endorsement from President Donald Trump — among registered Republican voters. However, Donalds was way ahead among respondents who voted in the 2024 primary.
“It’s important to note that among folks who voted in the last primary, Donalds is 15 points ahead of DeSantis, and it’s likely those same folks will be the ones voting next August, so this race might not actually be as close as it appears,” said Dr. Michael Binder, UNF PORL faculty director and professor of political science.
On Sept. 3, former House Speaker and DeSantis ally Paul Renner declared he was running, though DeSantis does not support his candidacy. DeSantis’ new lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, also has expressed interest.
What are the Florida governor’s term limits?
Florida, like 22 other states, limits governors to two consecutive, four-year terms.
The others are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Arkansas, California, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota and Oklahoma all limit governors to no more than two terms in a lifetime.
Vermont and New Hampshire have no term limits on their governor but they limit terms to two years instead of four.
Virginia is the only state with a one-term lifetime limit.
How many Florida governors have served two terms?
Four state governors have served two full four-year terms:
Bob Graham almost served two full terms (1979 to 1987) but resigned with three days left in his term to take a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Lawton Chiles was elected to two consecutive terms, in 1991 and 1994, but died suddenly in office in 1998 before his second term was completed.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Can Ron DeSantis run for Florida governor in 2026? What about 2030?
Reporting by C. A. Bridges and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
