Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is considering running to replace her husband as governor when his final term runs out, according to a report.
Donors are pushing her to run because her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, cannot seek re-election when his second term ends in 2026, NBC News reported, citing multiple sources.
“I would say this: I have heard donors have been urging her to run and that while it’s not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen,” a source told the outlet.
The prospect — which would make her the Sunshine State’s first female governor — was openly touted at a gathering last week in Palm Beach County, the outlet said.
Casey DeSantis, 44, was a consistent supportive presence during her husband’s political campaigns — both for Florida governor and his failed bid for the White House last year — earning her national recognition that could make her a formidable candidate.
The governor views his wife running “as his best opportunity to set the future leaderships for the state and prevent a Simpson or Donalds governorship,” another source familiar with the thinking told the outlet.
Only one other Republican has announced that he would run — Rep. Byron Donalds, a close ally of President Trump.
State Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson — who has frequently butted heads with Gov. DeSantis — is also believed to be mulling a run for the office, NBC News reported.
The Post has reached out to the First Lady’s office and Gov. DeSantis’ office for comment.
The mother of three is a former TV news journalist and breast cancer survivor.
She met Ron DeSantis on a golf course at Naval Station Mayport, and the couple married at Disney World in 2009. She became Florida’s youngest first lady in history at the age of 38 when Ron was elected governor in 2019.
Florida is one of 18 states to have never elected a female governor.