Congressman Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that he’s running for Marco Rubio’s Senate seat. DeSantis is the first major republican to jump into the race.
DeSantis represents the sixth district, which stretches from just south of Jacksonville down into Volusia County and west almost to Gainesville. It’s a district presenting challenges, said GOP strategist Adam Goodman.
“But he’s handicapped by the fact that he comes from a part of the state that’s not a major media market,” said Goodman. “In fact, if you had to place the ideal candidate anywhere, in a republican primary, that candidate would be in Tampa Bay given that market represents 25 percent of the primary vote.”
DeSantis graduated from Harvard law school and served in the Navy as a JAG officer.
This now makes DeSantis and democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy the major candidates running for Rubio’s senate seat. Murphy’s district runs from just north of Ft. Pierce down to North Palm Beach out west into Lake Okeechobee.
Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson said he’ll announce his intentions in the next 30 days. Republicans Pam Bondi and Jeff Atwater polled well, but neither is running.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is vacating his seat to run for president.