Will DeSantis appoint himself to the senate directly or find a patsy who promises to vote the way he'd want and who'll step aside in 2026?
It’s really interesting watching this list of appointees develop… knowing most of them will last few months, have a falling out with Trump, and call him ‘unqualified and dangerous’ on their way out….
I don't like his position on Ukraine - it's a clear signal that the US will seek to force Ukraine into a settlement with their invader.... but he's a China hawk and that's a good thing right now, IMO. Hopefully that signals that Taiwan will remain protected and the US will keep the pressure on them economically and militarily in the south china sea. I think another position that will be important in the coming months will be his stance on Mexico - he's been the defacto trump "SoS" in Latin america for a while now - but he's been hyper focused on Cuba, Venezuela, and to a lesser extent Nicaragua. I think Mexico-US relations are at a huge tipping point right now and so it'll be interesting to see how he approaches that. And as always - yes, who knows how long he even survives in the position, but my guess is he will be around a while, he has been smart about his relationship with trump for years now.
Depends on if he wants to run for senate in 2026. If so nominating someone like James Uthmeier or Jeanette Nunez (or I guess himself, but that seems fairly unlikely) is probably the move. If not, appointing Ashley Moody and nominating a replacement AG seems like the move to me.
Rubio would be up for re-election in 2028 normally. If he is appointed SOS, his replacement would have to run in 2026 and then again in 2028.
Agree. His political stance has shifted over the years. Initially, he adopted a realist approach toward Russia and Putin. However, like many others, he has since pledged complete fealty to Trump which was surprising. But, Rubio is sharp, has been on key committees and I like the pick considering it’s Trump. Rubio years ago… “Russia is governed today by a gangster,” Rubio said. “He’s basically an organized crime figure who controls a government and a large territory. … This is a person who kills people because they’re his political enemies. If you’re a political adversary of Vladimir Putin, you wind up with plutonium in your drink or shot in the street.”
Yea, but given Trump's history, realistically Rubio will probably be out of a job long before 2028 so he could actually run for governor in 2026 as desantis is termed out. .
I’d like to think his (accurate) assessment of Russia is a sign he’d do the right thing and stand up to any corruption he sees, particularly when it comes to dealing w/Russia. But let’s be real, he likely isn’t playing a long game. He just went with the political winds in the most extreme way possible. A weasel who likes political money above all else. Nothing more, nothing less. BTW, ‘member all those Republicans who were after Biden’s inexplicable net worth?. Biden was worth $10 million after 40 years. I’m sure they’ll be along shortly to break down the origins of Rubio’s recently acquired $10 million.
Marco Rubio: Neicon Man Marco Rubio: The Neocon Man The neoconservatives are busily decrying Donald Trump as a nasty intruder into the ranks of the Republican party. But they themselves are, in many ways, the interlopers, with their ultimate origins dating all the way back to Leon Trotsky. As neoconservative godfather Irving Kristol once observed, “I regard myself as lucky to have been a young Trotskyite and I have not a single bitter memory.” The polemics and crusading fervor of Trotsky’s Fourth International have left their mark on the movement down to the present. In an audacious volte-face, one extreme, you could even say, was switched out for another. To exercise influence the neocons have always had to have a horse, someone who will purvey their crusading vision to the broader electorate. Once upon a time it was Henry “Scoop” Jackson. Then it was Ronald Reagan, though he proved an imperfect vessel after he recognized that the Soviet Union was rapidly changing. George W. Bush came closest to being a neocon demigod, but after the Fourth International doctrine led to disaster in Iraq, he too began to shift course by 2006. Since then the neocons have been on the search for a new person, a kind of Manchurian candidate, if you will...
Prediction: He will be muted. Trump will take the lead on anything good, and dunk on Rubio for anything bad. Rubio is in tow behind Kushner on ME. Trump going to hand out contracts to rebuild West Bank with luxury high rise. Kush is looking for Kash. Rubio is going to be focused on bilateral with China. He’s outmatched. Trump will say the next crazy thing and Rubio has to cash check Trump writes. Rubio’s best option is to get a political win and resign so he leaves on a high. Too long he will be stuck with some sticky booger.