DeSantis Gives Up House Seat to Focus on Florida Gov. Race

Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., is resigning from Congress to focus on his campaign for governor, he wrote in a statement to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

DeSantis aide Elizabeth Fusick said the lawmaker is resigning immediately. DeSantis is running against Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, to succeed GOP Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

"As the Republican nominee for Governor of Florida, it is clear to me I will likely miss the vast majority of our remaining session days for this Congress," DeSantis wrote to Speaker Ryan. "Under these circumstances, it would be unacceptable for me to accept a salary."

DeSantis' resignation is retroactive to Sept. 1, "so that I do not receive any pay for the month of September," he wrote.

The letter was posted on Twitter and his official website.