Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he'll make an announcement on filling the seat of Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., near President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration Jan. 20.
DeSantis, a Republican, must name someone to serve the remaining two years of Rubio 's term after Rubio was nominated to be Secretary of State in the new Trump administration.
"I think that we've got a lot of great people in Florida who've made a big difference. We also have certain issues that are very, very significant," DeSantis said, Florida Phoenix reported.
"And when I put out my statement after the vacancy was potentially there with Sen. Rubio's nomination, I said, 'We have to deliver on the mandate that the voters gave President Donald Trump.'"
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Rubio's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State will be held Jan. 15.
DeSantis said he has not decided who he will appoint to replace Rubio but promised to have "somebody ready to go" shortly after Trump takes office.
DeSantis said Rubio's replacement must be strong on all aspects of immigration. As an example, he said he wanted the new senator to ensure that visa programs "aren't being used to undermine American workers."
"Being willing to say we shouldn't have a diversity lottery where someone just comes out of a hat," DeSantis said. "We should have merit-based [immigration]. We shouldn't have massive chain migration. All of these things I think we've got to get this right, once and for all."
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, DeSantis chief-of-staff James Uthmeier, U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva, and state Sen. Jay Collins reportedly are being considered for Rubio's job.
Whoever replaces Rubio will be up for reelection in 2028.
"I can endorse somebody and they run and win, like they don't owe me anything," DeSantis said, CBS News reported. "But, if I'm appointing you, I want to know that you're going to be strong on all these issues. Then you run in '26 and get elected on your own. Right? Great. And then you can answer to the voters there. But this one, for these next two years, we want somebody that's really going to be able to deliver."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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