Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is keeping his options open for another presidential run, according to two people familiar with his thinking, after the governor said Florida fended off a blue wave in this year’s midterm elections.
But the sources stressed that DeSantis is still watching the political environment to see whether he will perform well, whether there is a lane for him to break through, and whether he has something to offer the Republican Party and the country.
ABC News has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment on his plans.
FILE – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks before a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 6, 2026.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo
In the days leading up to and after the midterms, DeSantis has ramped up his media appearances, reflecting on what went wrong for the Republican Party in this year’s cycle.
The day after the midterm elections, DeSantis held a press conference where he described Tuesday’s elections as a “meteor strike,” arguing that even a “wave” fails to capture the scale of the Republican losses.
“Last night, we witnessed, to call it a wave, I don’t think would be fully accurate. It’s the political equivalent of a meteor strike that went all around the United States, blue states, red states, everything in between, and the one state that was able to hold the line and withstand that is right here in the free state of Florida,” DeSantis said Wednesday in Florida during a press conference.
DeSantis did not mince his words about the midterm election results for Republicans across the country, calling it “close to an extinction-level event” for the party.
President Donald Trump listens as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to reporters Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Fla.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo
DeSantis offered his analysis of what went wrong for Republicans, including what he said was a lack of positive messages from candidates to run on and messaging that didn’t land with voters.
Prior to the midterm elections, DeSantis said in an interview that Republicans were “gaslighting” voters on gas prices, which have been impacted by the Iran war.
“Some of these Republicans are saying, ‘Oh, well, the gas don’t worry, you know, it’s no big deal.’ Like they’re trying to blame Biden for it. No, no, listen, we just got to be honest. Gas is higher; it hurts people, working-class people, and it’s higher because of this conflict. That’s just a fact. If you can’t admit that to voters, then you’re gaslighting them, and they’re not going to listen to you on other things,” DeSantis said in an interview with Stephen A. Smith that aired on Monday.
Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a campaign event at Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Lexington, S.C.
Sean Rayford/AP
DeSantis mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2024, running against President Donald Trump and ultimately dropping out of the race right before the New Hampshire primary. He also finished a distant second behind Trump in the Iowa caucuses.
DeSantis’ 2024 campaign was marred by political infighting that drew national attention and was complicated by overspending despite receiving immense donor support.
DeSantis has also taken lessons from his presidential campaign, including the need to do more media and that he cannot wait too long to enter the presidential race, a person familiar with DeSantis thinking told ABC News.
DeSantis’ term as Florida governor ends in January.