Change of plans: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now poised to speak at GOP convention

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose bid for president ended following a distant second place finish in Iowa, is now poised to have a speaking slot on the main stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

DeSantis, once seen as a rising conservative star, was initially not scheduled to have a main stage speaking slot during the weeklong celebration of former President Donald Trump, three people familiar with convention plans but not authorized to speak publicly told POLITICO on Tuesday. Two of those people told POLITICO that, as of Wednesday morning, the plans had changed and DeSantis is now in the mix for a spot.

The lineup for the convention is set to be announced this week, and plans for speaking roles remains fluid.

DeSantis will also participate in other Republican events occurring in conjunction with the convention. A spokesperson for DeSantis’ political operation declined to comment on Tuesday on him not initially being scheduled.

He’s also appearing at a town hall hosted by Moms for Liberty and is set to appear at the “Southern States Fest” being held at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium that will feature other GOP governors from the region.

DeSantis will also be the main speaker at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Republican Party of Florida. DeSantis is also allowed to be on the convention floor. Evan Power, the chair of the Republican Party of Florida, said that sitting governors and members of Congress are given floor passes.

DeSantis rose to Florida’s governorship with key backing from Trump in 2018, but his decision to challenge his onetime ally was framed as an act of betrayal by the former president. Trump and his team unleashed a furious response to DeSantis, who would eventually ratchet up his criticism of the former president. Several top aides to Trump previously worked with DeSantis and do not have a good relationship with him.

CNN had first reported that DeSantis was not scheduled to speak. A DeSantis adviser familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, insisted on Wednesday that the governor's team was consistently told for months he would have a speaking slot and was never told otherwise.

After he dropped out in January, DeSantis endorsed Trump. But the two did not attempt a rapprochement until months later when they held a private meeting at a South Florida golf course. It was in that meeting that DeSantis pledged to raise money for Trump’s reelection effort. One person familiar with the conversation said that DeSantis did not ask Trump for a speaking slot at the convention nor to be considered for a position in a potential Trump administration.

DeSantis has said several times publicly that he did not anticipate doing a lot of campaigning for Trump this election year because he does not expect Florida to be in play for Democrats. DeSantis, for example, was not present at Trump’s rally held Tuesday in Doral even though many other Florida Republicans were there, including the state’s two senators and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez.

DeSantis is viewed by many in his orbit as a likely 2028 presidential contender. But that positioning could be undermined by Trump’s vice presidential pick, especially if Trump selects another Florida Republican, like Sen. Marco Rubio .

Few convention speakers have been rolled out ahead of next week’s nominating process. Another 2024 primary rival, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, will not be speaking — and was not invited to the convention at all, POLITICO previously reported .

“She’s fine with that,” Haley spokesperson Chaney Denton told POLITICO. “Trump deserves the convention he wants. She’s made it clear she’s voting for him and wishes him the best.”

Haley has released her delegates and encouraged them to vote for Trump next week.

One governor who will be speaking is West Virginia’s Jim Justice. The party’s Senate nominee — and likely winner in November — is scheduled to speak Tuesday night at the RNC about his race, his vision for West Virginia and Trump's impact on the state, according to a person familiar the convention plans, as part of a Senate candidate power hour.

But Justice, of course, won't be alone. Also joining him on stage will be his canine sidekick, the 62-pound English bulldog, Babydog. The dog became a national sensation during the pandemic for appearing at the governor's side as he gave public health updates and was the star of the governor's office's "Do It For Babydog" vaccination campaign.