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Lara Trump has her sights set on becoming the next U.S. Senator from Florida, with a powerful ally in her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump.
According to The Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that Trump recently spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, advocating for Lara Trump as a candidate to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio, who Trump has tapped to become secretary of state. Rubio is expected to be confirmed next year by the Republican-controlled Senate.
If DeSantis selects Lara, it would mark another milestone in her swift rise in politics. The 42-year-old signaled her ambitions Sunday night by announcing her resignation as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, a position she assumed earlier this year while playing a key role in securing her father-in-law’s return to the White House, the outlet noted.
“I would say that my track record speaks for itself. Maybe having the last name Trump is just a little bit extra. I’m always happy to have it,” Lara Trump said Sunday on Fox News. Three years ago, Lara Trump and her husband, Eric, moved to Florida. Previously, she considered running for the Senate in her home state of North Carolina, the WSJ noted.
“It is something I would seriously consider,” she added in an interview this week with The Associated Press.
LARA TRUMP LEAVES RNC
Where do things go from here? “It’s a strong possibility she could take Marco Rubio’s seat in the Senate.”@JSolomonReports @WorkingWomanTV @DBrodyReports @TBatesNews pic.twitter.com/KSE6yfob5N
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) December 10, 2024
DeSantis has the authority to appoint someone to fill Rubio’s seat until a special election is held in 2026. Florida boasts a strong pool of ambitious Republicans, including individuals close to the governor. Allies of DeSantis note that he is considering a variety of candidates but acknowledge that selecting Lara Trump could help mend his relationship with the president-elect.
DeSantis has indicated that he will make his decision by early January, the WSJ report noted.
The outlet continued:
It isn’t a given that DeSantis will pick Lara Trump, and people close to the governor note he has an independent streak. He is considering several candidates, including Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, according to a person familiar with the matter. But as one Trump insider observed, the idea has gone from a fanciful “wouldn’t that be interesting” sentiment to a distinct possibility.
The governor’s decision to challenge Trump for the presidential nomination led to vicious attacks from Trump over disloyalty given his endorsement was crucial for DeSantis as he ran for governor in 2018. DeSantis fired back during the campaign, noting Trump’s legal issues and age.
But Trump and DeSantis reached a detente this spring in a meeting organized by their mutual friend Steve Witkoff, a real-estate mogul whom Trump has chosen as his Middle East envoy.
Their relationship has improved to the point that Trump is reportedly considering DeSantis for the role of defense secretary if current nominee Pete Hegseth faces insurmountable opposition from key senators, earlier reports claimed..
According to sources familiar with the discussions, DeSantis would accept the position if offered. Both DeSantis and Trump are slated to attend Saturday’s Army-Navy football game, where Hegseth is also expected to be present, sources said.
Some individuals close to DeSantis have expressed concern about potential perceptions if he were to appoint Lara Trump to the Senate seat while also accepting the role of defense secretary, fearing it might appear as if one appointment was exchanged for the other.
These sources, however, deny any form of dealmaking. For her part, Lara Trump has publicly expressed support for Pete Hegseth’s nomination as defense secretary and hopes he will be confirmed by the Senate.
Lara Trump has some big backers, including billionaire DOGE co-chief Elon Musk and his mother, Maye Musk. “The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets,” Maye tweeted last month.
Also, Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott, himself a former governor of the Sunshine State, likes Lara Trump for the job, citing her performance as RNC co-chair.
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