Political insiders gave Casey DeSantis one piece of advice about 2026 that could change everything

Florida’s political establishment is trying to clear the field for Byron Donalds.

But a group of seasoned operatives isn’t buying the conventional wisdom.

And political insiders gave Casey DeSantis one piece of advice about 2026 that could change everything.

The case for Casey DeSantis is stronger than anyone wants to admit

The smart money in Tallahassee keeps saying the same thing – Casey DeSantis shouldn’t run for governor because Byron Donalds has Trump’s endorsement locked up.

But dozens of Republican insiders are quietly making a different calculation.

They’re telling the Florida First Lady that she’s got more political ammunition than the pundits want to acknowledge.

“Should she choose to run, her dominance in the primary would be undeniable, effectively reshaping the race,” one GOP operative told Politico.¹

That’s not idle chatter from some county party chairman.

These are seasoned political pros who’ve been watching Donalds struggle to build the kind of grassroots excitement that wins tough primaries.

Sure, Trump’s endorsement is powerful.

But here’s what the Washington, D.C. crowd doesn’t understand about Florida politics – voters here know the difference between a president picking someone and actually getting behind them.

Casey DeSantis has built-in advantages the polls don’t capture

The political establishment loves to point to Byron Donalds’ early polling lead and think the race is over.

But they’re missing some fundamental dynamics that could flip this thing upside down.

Casey DeSantis spent eight years as Florida’s First Lady watching her husband build the most successful conservative record in modern Florida history.

She wasn’t just hosting tea parties at the Governor’s mansion.

The woman was in the room for every major policy decision that made Florida the envy of Republican governors across the country.

“When Casey DeSantis would introduce her husband, donors would nudge each other and whisper, ‘When are they going to run her?’” a GOP operative revealed.²

That’s not the kind of reaction you get from someone who’s just along for the ride.

And here’s the kicker – most Florida voters still don’t know her story beyond the basics.

A recent town hall revealed that voters primarily know two things about Casey DeSantis: she has young children and beat breast cancer.

That’s actually good news for a potential candidate.

It means she gets to define herself instead of fighting against pre-existing negatives.

The Trump factor isn’t as bulletproof as everyone thinks

The political class in Washington, D.C. assumes Trump’s endorsement automatically means game over.

But they’re looking at this through the lens of national politics instead of Florida dynamics.

Here’s what actually happened – Trump endorsed Donalds back in February when it looked like Ron DeSantis and his wife might be completely out of the picture.

Since then, Trump has been posting pictures of Casey DeSantis golfing with him and declaring that the governor will “always be my friend.”

That doesn’t sound like someone who’s going to wage political war against the DeSantis family.

Trump’s a practical politician.

If Casey DeSantis gets in the race and starts gaining momentum, he’s not going to burn bridges with one of the most successful Republican governors in America over Byron Donalds.

The policy argument writes itself

This is where Casey DeSantis has a built-in advantage that no other candidate can match.

Ron DeSantis turned Florida from a purple swing state into the Republican Party’s crown jewel.

He delivered on school choice, immigration enforcement, economic growth, and every other conservative priority that matters to Republican primary voters.

Casey DeSantis can credibly claim she was part of making those policies happen.

When she talks about continuing that record, it’s not some generic politician promising to keep fighting – it’s someone who was actually in the room when the decisions got made.

Donalds, for all his television appearances, is still a congressman.

He’s never run anything bigger than a campaign operation.

Casey DeSantis helped run the fourth largest state in America during one of the most successful conservative governing periods in decades.

The timing couldn’t be better for a competitive primary

Here’s something the political pros understand that the media keeps missing – Florida Republicans want a real primary fight.

This isn’t some backroom deal where party bosses pick the nominee and everyone else falls in line.

Conservative voters want to see candidates battle it out over the issues that matter most in 2026.

A Casey DeSantis candidacy would force every candidate to explain how they’re going to build on the DeSantis record instead of just promising generic conservative platitudes.

That’s good for the party and good for whoever wins the nomination.

In a red state like Florida where Democrat candidates typically enter as long shots, there’s nothing like a competitive primary to challenge, clarify and debate ideas.

Even if Casey DeSantis doesn’t win, her presence in the race would elevate the policy debate in ways that strengthen the eventual nominee.

The bottom line the establishment doesn’t want to hear

The Republican political class wants this race decided before it starts.

They’re pushing the narrative that Donalds’ early money and Trump endorsement make him inevitable.

But Florida Republicans didn’t build the most successful conservative state in America by settling for whatever the establishment hands them.

Casey DeSantis has the name recognition, the policy record, and the personal story to compete with anyone in this field.

More importantly, she’s got a reason for running that goes beyond political ambition.

“When God gives you an opportunity to be able to do something, what do you do with it?” Casey DeSantis said about her life after surviving cancer.⁴

That’s the kind of motivation that wins tough campaigns.

The question isn’t whether Casey DeSantis can compete – it’s whether she’s willing to take on the political establishment that wants to crown Byron Donalds without a real fight.

One GOP county chair put it perfectly: “I can’t imagine, after all these people have done, that they are just going to pack it up and run into the sunset.”⁵

Florida conservatives deserve a real choice in 2026.

Casey DeSantis could give them exactly that.

¹ Kimberly Leonard, “Why insiders say Casey DeSantis should run for governor,” Politico, August 22, 2025.

² I- ⁴ Ibid.