Florida lawmakers are considering changing a unique law to allow Governor DeSantis to run for president without stepping down as governor

Florida Republicans want to change a Florida law that would force Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to leave office if he ran for president.

What does the law say?

Florida law requires elected officials to submit an irrevocable resignation if they seek another office whose term would overlap with their current term.

“No one may run for more than one public office, whether at the federal, state, county, county or local level, when the terms of office, or parts thereof, are concurrent,” the law said explained. “No civil servant may qualify as a candidate for any other state, county, county, or local government office when the terms of office, or portions thereof, are concurrent without resigning from the office he or she currently holds.”

“The resignation is irrevocable,” it says.

What is the legislature doing?

Florida Republicans openly say the law should be changed so it doesn’t affect DeSantis.

Both Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R) and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R) think it’s a “good idea” to make sure DeSantis isn’t forced to run as governor in the event of a presidential campaign to resign from politics reported.

“If someone who is governor of Florida runs for president, I think they should be allowed to do so,” Passidomo said. “I really do. It’s a great honor and privilege, so it’s a good idea.”

Additionally, Renner said he believes the law should be changed because Florida lawmakers have been “inconsistent” with the Sunshine State’s “resign-to-run” statute.

“You’ll find I’m always trying to be principled and consistent,” Renner said said. “This is an area where we’re going back in history — you don’t have to go very far with a kind of two-second Google search — where we’ve been completely inconsistent. If you think this is based on anything in your hypothesis, you are correct and I will be very open and transparent about it.”

The law was last amended in 2008 to allow the then government. Charlie Crist may be targeting as John McCain’s vice presidential nominee. That never happened, of course, because McCain elected then-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

The Florida legislature changed the law again in 2018, restoring the resign-to-run provision.

One more thing?

DeSantis has not announced a presidential campaign.

But if he does, political insiders believe it could come sometime next spring — after the Florida legislature begins its 2023 session.