DeSantis-Trump proxy war is looming over the 2026 Florida elections

Although there's still a year until the elections, Florida's capitol city is already abuzz about who will run for statewide office in 2026.

President Donald Trump has already endorsed Byron Donalds for governor, and questions remain about whether Trump will endorse candidates for other statewide offices.

Meanwhile, Governor Ron DeSantis seemingly has tapped his preferred heir apparent as well as his pick for state CFO and Attorney General.

And former Florida Speaker Paul Renner has thrown his hat in for governor. The Florida Phoenix's Liv Caputo recently wrote about Renner's reasoning for running despite the Trump endorsement. WFSU's Tristan Wood sat down with Caputo to talk to her about her story and the rest of the 2026 Florida Republican field.

Wood: Renner filed, I believe it was last week. Walk me through his candidacy a little bit. Why is he running?

Caputo: He thinks he's the guy for the job. He thinks he has a proven record. He described himself as having a legacy that's inseparable from DeSantis record. He highlighted that under his leadership, the Florida Legislature passed the six-week abortion ban. They banned transgender therapies for minors. You know, they got rid of DEI in higher education, all under Renner and DeSantis in that two year period. So, he thinks he has a shot. However, DeSantis says, I won't endorse you despite that.

Gov. Ron DeSantis during a press conference when asked about Renner running: I'm not supporting Paul Renner. You know, I think it was, I think it was an ill-advised decision to enter the race.

Caputo: So, Renner is kind of in this weird third lane. You have one lane with Trump and Byron Donalds, you have another lane with DeSantis and probably Jay Collins, and then you have the third lane runner.

He seems to think that tensions are so ripe between the DeSantis and Trump camps that those two are just going to keep going at each other, and then Renner is going to be left there standing saying, Hey, here's my Florida first message, unifying conservatives. That's kind of his strategy right now.

The issue that he's going to face, and honestly, that the DeSantis camp is going to face, is money. Byron Donalds has I think, over $22 million in his political campaign right now. He has Donald Trump. He has the RNC. He has so much money.

Wood: I know a lot of the talk earlier this year was that Casey DeSantis might run what's happened with those rumors?

Caputo: They're still floating around, but. The rumors were much louder before the alleged financial situation of Hope Florida, which might be a little bit sketchy, a little bit shady to some people. Some people accuse hope Florida of, you know, kind of funneling money into committees that later donated to Attorney General James Uthmeier's PAC to defeat a marijuana amendment.

So, all of that scandal was tied to, indirectly, to Casey DeSantis, who founded that charity, which later became a separate state organization. So, all of that tied to her, kind of seemed to make those rumors that she's going to jump in get very, very quiet now she still could jump in. It's true, but you're seeing Jay Collins has been elevated to Lieutenant Governor.

DeSantis two, three days ago, posted a tweet of something that looked very much like an ad, a campaign ad to support Jay Collins. Touting his record, touting how conservative he is, how DeSantis aligned he is.

So, it's looking like Jay Collins right now. That could always change.

Wood: You know, looking at the undercard a little bit, seems like James Uthmeier for Attorney General, Blaise Ingoglia for CFO. DeSantis appointed them, putting them in front of very like red meat conservative cultural issues, been using his bully pulpit to promote them. I know some news broke last week of conversations with that people in the Trump team had with several other figures in the state of Florida to potentially run for those seats. Can you talk to me a little bit about that?

Caputo: There are reports saying that Daniel Perez, the House speaker, who isn't really new to any conflict with DeSantis, that Daniel Perez might be considering a run for Florida attorney general, which would challenge James Uthmeier. Then you're seeing also in the Trump camp, you're seeing maybe a state Rep. Kevin Steele, challenging Blaise Ingoglia for CFO. Steele is very wealthy, so is Ingoglia, so that's kind of an important factor in these races is money if he chooses to run, if Trump does say, hey, we want you to run, that would be a big factor. That would be competitive.

Now these races are a little bit more complicated than the Donalds versus probably Collins dynamic we have in that Trump-DeSantis proxy war. James Uthmeier is a bit of an interesting case, because he is trying to reach out an olive branch to Trump and say, hey, you know, I'm creating these things. I want to work with you. Pointing to Alligator Alcatraz. We saw Trump and Uthmeier sitting together during the opening of Alligator Alcatraz. Trump complimented Uthmeier.

Trump comments at Alligator Alcatraz opening: "Where is James? Where is he? You do a very good job. I hear good things. I hear good things about you from Ron too. Now you really do. He's even a good looking guy. That guy's got a future."

Caputo: What we might see with Uthmeier is the DeSantis alignment too toxic for Team Trump? Team Trump does not like DeSantis. Is Uthmeier going to be able to break away from that and possibly gain that Trump endorsement as well to run? If not, that's when we're going to see a Daniel Perez or maybe a different Trump endorsed candidate challenge Uthmeier?

Wood: Leading up to these races as the field is beginning to take shape. Is there anything I didn't ask about that you think is important to include or consider?

Caputo: Probably the fact that it's very early and in politics, one month can feel like eight months. There's so much that can happen. We are so early. It's a little bit less than a year before the Republican primary for governor, for CFO, for attorney general. So much can happen between now and then.

Wood: It was nice speaking with you Liv. I appreciate the time.

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