Lara Trump, Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee
Candidate Pool to Replace Vacant Florida Senate Seat
First Trump Family Congressional Entry if Governor Chooses
Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump and co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), is eyeing the vacant Florida Senate seat in the next administration's cabinet appointments. On the 14th (local time), Lara said in an interview with Fox News that she would "seriously consider" the nomination for the Florida Senate seat "if actually asked."
Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States, is sitting with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and grandson at the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 18. Photo by AP Yonhap News
She, the wife of Eric Trump, the second son of President-elect Trump, has served as RNC co-chair since March, contributing to her father-in-law's election victory. Earlier, when President-elect Trump selected Senator Marco Rubio as a candidate for Secretary of State, the Florida Senate seat became vacant. When some media mentioned Lara as a potential replacement candidate, she did not hide her ambition.
In the U.S. Senate, if a senator cannot complete their term, the governor of the respective state selects a replacement. Depending on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's decision, Lara could enter the Senate without an election and serve until the 2026 election. However, from Governor DeSantis's perspective, it might be more advantageous to recommend an ally rather than a member of the Trump family. James Uthmeier, Chief of Staff to Governor DeSantis, and Jeanette Nunez, Lieutenant Governor of Florida, are mentioned as strong candidates.
If Lara is chosen by Governor DeSantis, it would mean that President-elect Trump indirectly places his daughter-in-law easily into the Senate. Although Ivanka Trump, President-elect Trump's daughter, served as a senior advisor in the White House during the Trump administration in 2017, the Trump family has never directly entered Congress.
Lara, a former CBS and Fox News producer, was responsible for organization and finance in the Trump campaign at the RNC. At the convention last July, she was the first among the Trump family to take the stage and spoke for over 20 minutes, indicating the strong trust President-elect Trump has in her. Therefore, it is expected that she will take on the role Ivanka played during Trump's first term.
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