A DeSantis is emerging as a potential major player in Florida’s 2026 race for governor — and it’s not Ron.
A new poll released on Thursday by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research showed that Sunshine State first last Casey DeSantis boasting considerable support among Republicans to succeed her husband.
FAU said in a press release that 38% of GOP poll respondents chose Casey.
16% selected Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican congressman who has repeatedly said he has no interest in running for governor.
Read: Florida First Lady DeSantis Unveils First-In-The-Nation Opportunity For Student Support
“There is clear interest among Republican voters in seeing Casey DeSantis run for governor in 2026,” Kevin Wagner, co-director of FAU’s PolCom Lab and professor of political science, said in a statement.
“This poll also suggests that the race is still open for new candidates to emerge over the next couple of years.”
“The DeSantis name is well-known. One of the advantages that Casey DeSantis has had is that she has been very visible,” Wagner also told the Palm Beach Post.
“So a lot of Floridians are familiar with her, and you can see, generally, that she is in a strong position (among GOP voters).”
Still, 26% of respondents said they weren’t sure who they would vote for in a head-to-head matchup between Casey and Gaetz, and 21% indicated they would opt for another candidate.
That 16% support among GOP voters was the same ratio Gaetz received in March in a poll by Kaplan Strategies.
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Says Some Republicans Could Be “Bought Off” To Hand Control To Democrats
As the Tampa Free Press reported, the difference was that Gaetz was the frontrunner among several Florida Republicans.
Others in that poll included GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples at 13%, followed by state Attorney General Ashley Moody, also a Republican, at 10%.
Others mentioned in the poll included Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of St. Augustine. All three of them polled in the low single digits.
Casey DeSantis has not announced whether she will run for governor in 2026.
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