As a rift widens within the Florida GOP, Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will raise funds to help elect a “strong conservative” to succeed him and urged potential candidates to get on board with his immigration plan.

"For the 2026 cycle, the FFF will ... support strong conservative candidates in legislative primaries," DeSantis said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday he plans to veto a so-called watered-down immigration bill passed by state Republican lawmakers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Palm Beach County on Thursday morning where he scolded lawmakers on legislation passed this week on illegal immigration.

The GOP supermajority legislature was the first to deny a Republican governor a special session since they took control in the 1990s.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was flying high with a presidential hopes. But this week's special session has revealed fissures between him and a previously pliant Legislature.

Why would you put a department impacted by immigration in charge of immigration?” one Florida GOP member asked during a conference call Thursday.

The survey, conducted Jan. 22 through 27, shows Ron DeSantis at 8% support, far behind Vice President JD Vance (27%) and Donald Trump, Jr. (21%). Another Florida man is farther back: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has 3% support, tied with Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The GOP supermajority legislature was the first to deny a Republican governor a special session since they took control in the 1990s.

Flanked by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the bill would deter local law enforcement from deporting undocumented immigrants.

The chairperson of the Republican Party of Hillsborough County expressed concerns about the “optics” of Republican legislative leaders rejecting DeSantis’ special session.