After Donald Trump announced last month that he would appoint Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as secretary of state, speculation arose about who would take over his seat in the US Senate.
Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump emerged as the immediate frontrunner.
And the biggest indicator yet that she’s considering the role came Sunday night when Lara, 42, announced she was stepping down from her role at the RNC.
Lara served as co-chair for less than a year and was elected co-chair as the party shifted to a more pro-Trump platform ahead of his official nomination at the Republican Convention in July.
Despite her short tenure, Lara said her work at the RNC is done.
“It has truly been the honor of my life to serve as co-chair of the Republican Party during the most important election in American history,” she wrote to X on Sunday evening.
She added, “The task I came for is now complete and I intend to formally resign from the RNC at our next meeting.”
The leadership shake-up came when former Republican Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was forced to resign in March.
Lara Trump appears to be positioning herself to fill the opening seat in the Florida Senate next month
Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law announced Sunday evening that she is stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee because “the job I came to do is now accomplished.”
Michael Whatley, former chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, was chosen to replace McDaniel and serve alongside Lara.
While some of the Trump Cabinet’s choices are controversial, Rubio’s are not. He will likely be easily confirmed by the Senate as the next Secretary of State, putting his Senate seat up for grabs.
Nearly six-in-ten Republicans — 59 percent — say Lara is their top choice to replace Rubio, according to a JL Partners poll for DailyMail.com earlier this month.
Only ten percent are against.
When all respondents, regardless of party, were considered, responses were more divided. Thirty-three percent say they support Lara as senator, while 30 percent are opposed.
The mother of two and wife of Trump’s middle son Eric was instrumental in helping the Republican Party regain the Senate and the White House while maintaining their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2024 elections.
Since last year, Lara’s political stakes in the MAGA world and the Republican Party have increased significantly.
The idea of a Trump family member in the US Senate has attracted enthusiasm, including from Maye Musk, the mother of billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk.
‘The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, open-hearted woman who will reveal their secrets,” she posted on X last month.
Once Rubio officially steps down from the Senate, which he is expected to do next month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will have the authority to fill his seat if confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet.
Trump last month announced his intention to nominate Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, meaning his U.S. Senate seat will become vacant in the Sunshine State.
Lara Trump’s profile has risen over the past year as she helped the Republican Party retake the Senate and the White House while retaining a majority in the House. She has indicated she is interested in seeking a nomination to the U.S. Senate
Lara Trump was chosen as co-chair of new GOP Chairman Michael Whatley (right) in March after a leadership shake-up toward a more pro-Trump platform
Last month, DeSantis said he is conducting “(more) extensive screening and candidate interviews” in December, so he is ready to announce Rubio’s replacement “by early January.”
“Florida deserves a senator who will help President Trump deliver on his electoral mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s budget decline, inspire is guided by conservative principles and has a proven track record. of results,” DeSantis wrote on X.
The Florida governor entered the 2024 primaries to challenge Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.
Despite being one of the remaining contenders for the position, DeSantis fell in line over the summer when he endorsed Trump and spoke on his behalf at the Republican Convention in July.
Electing Lara would indicate that the DeSantis’ truce with Trump will hold after their bitter election scrap.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has the responsibility to fill the opening seat and said he will make his decision in early January. But Republicans have made it clear that their preference is for Lara Trump to fill the role
But the governor has plenty of local options if he’s brave enough to break with Trump and instead elevate one of his allies.
DeSantis’ No. 2, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, is an obvious choice.
Other names floating around include Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and former Speaker of the Florida House Paul Renner.
But this gives Lara Trump the most national name recognition and some of the most high-profile endorsements.
Senator Rick Scott, who preceded DeSantis as governor of Florida, is supporting Lara.
“We need more Republicans in Washington who will actually represent the Republican Party at home and be steadfast in their commitment to fulfill the mandate of this election – to make America great again,” Scott wrote on X.
“Lara Lea Trump is that person,” he emphasized.