Florida clears way for DeSantis to seek presidency while governor

The US state passes a bill that would allow Governor Ron DeSantis to run for president without resigning from his current position.

Republican Ron DeSantis would not have to step down as governor of Florida to run for president of the United States if he so chooses, under a bill that passed final approval Friday in the GOP-dominated legislature power.

The measure, which is tied to a much broader election law, would be an exception to Florida’s law, which would require anyone seeking office to step down from a position they already hold after qualifying as a candidate. Under the waiver, an officeholder running for president or vice president does not have to resign.

Supporters painted the bill as merely a clarification and not specifically aimed at DeSantis, who has not yet announced a presidential bid but is widely expected to run for the Republican nomination in the coming weeks.

The bill passed the state’s House of Representatives 76-34 along party lines and now heads to DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law.

“It is an individual office that is unique. It is the president of our country,” Republican Rep. Ralph Massullo said Friday during a debate in the House of Representatives. “This isn’t just for our governor, it’s for everyone in politics.”

Democrats called the move a cynical attempt to clear the way for DeSantis to run while remaining governor. His current term in Tallahassee was set to end in January 2027.

“We in this body carry out the governor’s orders,” said Representative Angela Nixon, a Democrat. “He has to step down to run if he wants to be president, period. Last time I checked, being a governor is a full-time job. It’s a lot of work to become president.’

The bill, which makes several other changes to Florida’s electoral law, passed a day after a federal appeals court upheld a Republican-led electoral law that went into effect last year.

That law was challenged as racially discriminatory by attempting to suppress black voting, but a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.

Among other things, it would tighten limits and increase fines for third-party voter registration organizations, place more restrictions on mail-in ballots, and shift responsibility for determining voter eligibility from the state to the individual.

Democrats argued that the bill is another step to suppress the votes of minorities and economically disadvantaged people in favor of Republicans who already dominate Florida’s state government and federal offices.

“We are back at it, making it more difficult for people to register to vote. What we do with this bill is not necessary,” said Democratic Representative Anna Eskamni. “It’s really frustrating.”

Republicans, however, presented the measure as guaranteeing a legitimate vote, streamlining election operations and eliminating ambiguity in the law.

“There is nothing more sacred than our voice,” said Republican Rep. John Snyder. “It should be easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

The House also passed a bill requiring a constitutional amendment to pass with at least 66.67 percent of the vote, up from 60 percent currently. That measure must be approved by the Senate and would then go on the November 2024 vote, which would require 60 percent of the vote.

“We know that in this crazy world today, we’re at greater risk of bad constitutional amendments,” said the lead sponsor, Republican Rep. Rick Roth. “We must stand for our constitution.”

Democrats argued that the change to the amendment threshold would make it more difficult for voters to change policies on their own if the legislature denies it.

“Sixty percent is high enough,” Democratic Representative Bruce Antone said. “Voters should have an option if the legislature doesn’t listen to them. We’ve seen that time and time again.”