To allow Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024 without resigning, Florida lawmakers modified the state’s “resign-to-run” provision on Friday.
The exception was approved by the Florida Senate on Tuesday (with a vote of 28-12) and the Florida House on Friday (with a vote of 76-34).
DeSantis would have had to resign as governor before declaring his candidacy for president under Florida’s “resign-to-run” regulation. The need that one resign in order to make a candidacy for president or vice president is no longer in effect.
DeSantis, if was reelected to another four-year term in 2022, would not have to leave office until he was inaugurated as president in 2025.
The conclusion of the Florida legislative term next month is widely seen as Ron DeSantis’ cue to launch his formal Republican presidential bid.
Florida Republican Representative Michelle Salzman said:
The Senate measure resolves the issue by explicitly stating that candidates for president and vice president are exempt from the “resign-to-run” statute. The measure defines the phrase “qualify” to include all positions that are the President or Vice President and expressly exempts candidates running for president or vice president from the “resign-to-run” rule.
However, Democrats in Florida were concerned that the law was giving DeSantis special rights by exempting him from state law.
D. Florida Representative Ashley Gantt said:
We shouldn’t be changing the rules for those we like or don’t like, in my opinion. The key is ensuring that Floridians continue to have access to voting.
Is it fair that we let Ron DeSantis to coast on his title? Democratic state representative Angie Nixon intervened in the scuffle.
DeSantis will soon sign the measure into law, and it is already on its way to his desk.
While DeSantis was off on what many see as a practice run for his eventual run for president, the Florida House passed changes to the state’s voting laws. However, on Friday, Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, said he would not meet with DeSantis. Instead, he assigned DeSantis to James Cleverly and Kemi Badenoch, two low-ranking UK officials.
The state’s action also coincides with a decline in DeSantis’ poll rankings and growing concerns among funders about his viability in a presidential primary.