DeSantis calls GOP midterm losses 'extinction-level event' — and explains why Florida survived
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Wednesday that Republicans have been nearly wiped out nationally after devastating election losses, while highlighting his state as the lone remaining GOP stronghold among the...
By Fox News · Fox News
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Wednesday that Republicans have been nearly wiped out nationally after devastating election losses, while highlighting his state as the lone remaining GOP stronghold among the 10 most populous states as speculation builds about his political future in 2028. Tuesday was an otherwise brutal night for the GOP, as the Trump movement faces major questions amid setbacks in longtime Republican strongholds such as Kansas and Texas, while holding Senate seats in West Virginia and deep-red Wyoming and South Dakota. "This is close to an extinction-level event for Republicans… out of the 10 largest states in this union, only one state will have Republican control of their state, the state of Florida," DeSantis said at a Wednesday news conference. DEMOCRATS SEIZE MAJORITY OF GOVERNORS’ OFFICES IN ELECTION-NIGHT SHIFT DEMS SEIZE THE SENATE AS BLUE TIDAL WAVE CRASHES DEEP INTO TRUMP COUNTRY, TOPPLES GOP STRONGHOLDS "We've built up a record of achievement. We've earned trust from a number of our voters that, even in the worst situation that you can imagine politically, we were able to hold the line," DeSantis added. Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis for comment. Orlando-based political strategist and pollster Doug Kaplan told Fox News Digital that DeSantis appears to be eyeing a lasting role on the national stage. "I think last night was a big night for DeSantis. If you're looking at winners on the Republican side, then I think he's found his lane if he wants to run for president in 2028," he said. Kaplan characterized DeSantis' comments as an "opening salvo" in an effort to distance himself from the Trump-led status quo in the Republican Party, though he acknowledged the staying power of Trump's MAGA movement among GOP primary voters. DeSantis also highlighted his own push for the election-cycle buzzword "affordability" in Florida. Amendment 3 passed with about 62% of the vote Tuesday. It in…