With JD Vance next in line, where does DeSantis go from here?

At points, the speech sounded like it was delivered in a parallel universe.

“We have a responsibility to preserve what George Washington called the sacred fire of liberty,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told the crowd Tuesday at the Republican National Convention. “This was a fire that burned in Independence Hall in 1776, when 56 men pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to establish this nation.”

The words were lofty, patriotic, presidential. DeSantis controlled the lectern, relaxed and confident. The Milwaukee crowd roared its approval.

In that universe, it was Ron DeSantis’ coronation. The GOP would have a new standard bearer: A true believer who valued results above all else.

But we do not reside in that universe. DeSantis wasn’t accepting the GOP nomination. His speech was slotted just before a parody rap music video titled, “Trump Trump Baby” starring Forgiato Blow and Amber Rose. The governor was there to get the crowd fired up on behalf of Donald Trump.

Termed out after the 2026 governor’s race, DeSantis appears to be maneuvering toward another run for president. The governor is well liked among Republican voters, and his 2024 campaign made him a recognizable name in early primary states. But with Trump’s selection of Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance to be his running mate, DeSantis’ political future is perhaps more uncertain than ever.

DeSantis’ orbit is keeping his future plans close. His political team did not respond to questions about whether he was plotting a 2028 run — or whether he’d accept a high profile position in the Trump administration.

But the seeds for another crack at the GOP nomination are already being planted. Ahead of his convention speech, a political committee supporting DeSantis, Restore Our Nation (RON) PAC, sent a text to supporters. It was his first mass political text in six months.

The governor spoke at a meeting of Iowa Republicans Wednesday, solidifying his connection to the early nominating state that became the central focus of this year’s unsuccessful campaign. Jeff Kaufmann, the state’s GOP chairperson, said DeSantis received glowing marks — particularly for offering a strong endorsement of Trump, the governor’s onetime foe.

Throughout the week, DeSantis touted his wins in Florida, arguing the nation could see the same conservative transformation that his state has undergone.

In Nov. 2028, DeSantis will be 50 — young by politics standards. Vance will be 44, and could be the sitting vice president.

“If Trump and Vance wins the 2024 election, Vance is naturally set up to be the frontrunner in 2028,” said Kyle Kondik, the managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. “Someone like DeSantis could challenge him, but Vance would probably start as the favorite.”

Back home, some of DeSantis’ foes outright celebrated what they see as his political demise.

“There is no political future for him,” said Nikki Fried, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, in an interview.

DeSantis has kept an eye on the national stage since leaving the presidential race in January. He’s raised money to defeat two high profile constitutional amendments in Florida, one legalizing marijuana for adult use, the other stopping abortion restrictions in the state. He sent Florida first responders to the U.S.-Mexico border to combat what he characterized an “invasion.” And in May, he guest hosted Sean Hannity’s nationally syndicated radio show.

That last flourish even drew some tabloid buzz, with a gossip magazine reporting that DeSantis is looking to parlay his newfound chops into a show of his own.

“Ron wouldn’t hesitate to jump ship for a big TV deal,” inTouch reported breathlessly, drawing eye rolls from DeSantis’ circle.

The next presidential contest could be historically crowded. Barring a Joe Biden exit from the 2024 race, no incumbent would be running for the nomination for the first time in a dozen years.

Even with DeSantis’ relatively high profile, it will be difficult for him to break through such a field — particularly in a matchup with Vance. Both are fire-breathing conservative, best-selling authors with Ivy League law degrees. Only Vance at the moment can say he’s earned the trust of Trump.

Ken Cuccinelli, who started a pro-DeSantis super PAC in 2023, wrote in an email that any running mate picked by Trump picked would likely occupy a similar lane to DeSantis in 2028: conservative with a touch of populist. But he said such talk is not relevant at the moment.

The next presidential election is indeed four long years away. Vance could flame out like many of Trump’s past political allies. (See: Pence, Mike.) DeSantis could keep making headlines and raising money until Jan. 2027 — just a few months before major candidates will start to declare for 2028. DeSantis’ confrontational style of governing could continue earning cheers from the Republican base.

But whether DeSantis will ever get to make his national mark remains to be seen.

At an event Tuesday hosted by the conservative education advocacy group Moms for Liberty, DeSantis appeared alongside Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. DeSantis spent the half hour discussing his wins for “parents’ rights” in Florida, recapping his fight with the Walt Disney Corporation and touting the state’s school choice options.

At the end of a discussion, Sanders was asked to describe the America of 10 years from now. What will the country look like if the conservative vision comes to fruition?

She responded with an answer about the Christmas she spent with Trump when the president surprised American troops in Iraq.

“We are still the country that loves freedom, that protects freedom, and has people that are willing to die so that we can pass it on to the next generation.” Sanders, the former White House Press Secretary, said. “In 20 years, 30, 40, 50, I don’t think that America will have lost sight of what makes us so incredibly great and special.”

Then the panel ended. DeSantis never got a chance to give his answer.

PolitiFact correspondent Louis Jacobson contributed to this story