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Imagining “Jillary” DeSantis

As Ron DeSantis’s national campaign sags, the term-limited governor’s next political steps are under increased scrutiny. In Tallahassee, some are already considering the possibility of a third term—with Casey as governor.

The fixation on Casey DeSantis speaks to the question of how much power the DeSantis name and brand maintains in Florida.
The fixation on Casey DeSantis speaks to the question of how much power the DeSantis name and brand maintains in Florida. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images
Tara Palmeri
August 18, 2023

Back in the winter and spring, as you might recall, Casey DeSantis was widely considered the secret weapon behind her husband’s poorly concealed presidential ambitions. In May, in particular, Politico described Casey as Ron DeSantis’s “biggest asset and his biggest liability”—after all, she was a telegenic, media-trained confidante who also happened to be his closest advisor and gatekeeper, with an iron grip over his staff and strategy. Nationally, she was expected to improve his likability, even as allies warned that their insular, family office-style brain trust would struggle to scale.