Outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the Republican Party's losses in the recent midterm elections as "close to an extinction-level event" for the party in many parts of the country. DeSantis made the remarks Wednesday, a day after Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate.
"This was not a positive view of the Democrats. This was a rejection of Republicans in Washington," DeSantis said, adding that Democrats were the beneficiaries of this sentiment. He stated that Democrats "did not earn a mandate to indulge all their left-wing fantasies."
DeSantis, who has not ruled out a future presidential bid, highlighted Florida as an exception, noting that it will be the only state with Republican control of its government among the 10 largest states by January, after accounting for term limits and electoral losses. "Last night we witnessed — to call it a wave, I don't think would be fully accurate — it's the political equivalent of a meteor strike that went all around the United States," he said.
He specifically pointed to Texas, which he described as the "crown jewel of Republican politics," as an example of significant losses. DeSantis noted that Texas not only lost a high-profile U.S. Senate race but also statewide offices and potentially legislative control. "And if the Republican Party doesn't have Texas as an anchor, then we are not going to be viable nationally going forward," he warned.
DeSantis predicted that these losses could impact the Republican Party's ability to regain unified control in Washington for years to come. "You are not, as Republicans, going to be able to retake the Senate under this current map just two years from now," he stated, suggesting that reclaiming the House might also be unlikely in the near future. He concluded that it could take "two years, four years, six years, maybe even longer before Republicans could exercise unified control in Washington again."