In a move that has been met with both praise and criticism, the Florida Senate recently filed a bill that would allow Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President of the United States while still serving as governor.
This rule change is made possible by a proposed change to the state’s resign-to-run law, which currently requires any candidate for federal office to resign from their current position before running.
Trending Politics reports, The bill was filed just moments after news broke of President Donald Trump’s indictment on charges of obstruction of justice and abuse of power. It has been widely speculated that DeSantis may be positioning himself as a potential Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
n a tweet Rebekah Jones stated “Ron DeSantis waited until the media was fully consumed with Trump’s indictment to make a move to repeal Florida’s resign-to-run law, which prevents current public officials from seeking other offices while serving in their current office.”
Probably intended to allow Governor Ron DeSantis to run for the 2024 Presidential nomination while remaining governor of Florida, the move was poorly timed. Another caveat suggests the move may be very deliberate.
However, supporters of the bill argue that it will give Floridians more choice in their representation at both the state and federal level. They point out that if DeSantis were allowed to remain governor while running for president, it would ensure continuity in state government regardless of who wins the election.
Critics, however, say that this proposed change is nothing more than an attempt by DeSantis to gain an unfair advantage over his potential opponents in the 2024 race. They argue that allowing him to remain governor while running for president would give him access to resources and information not available to other candidates. Furthermore, they point out that this could create a conflict of interest between his duties as governor and his campaign promises as a presidential candidate. Same argument for any Governor who has ever ran for President, while serving as Governor.
Regardless of one’s opinion on the matter, it is clear that this proposed change has sparked debate among Florida residents about whether or not it is appropriate for Governor DeSantis to run for president while still serving as governor. While some see it as an opportunity for greater representation at both levels of government, others view it as an attempt by DeSantis to gain an unfair advantage over his opponents in the upcoming election.
