Entering his last two years in office, DeSantis has started a rift with GOP leaders over immigration, possibly sparking a new era of oversight.

As a rift widens within the Florida GOP, Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will raise funds to help elect a “strong conservative” to succeed him and urged potential candidates to get on board with his immigration plan.

"For the 2026 cycle, the FFF will ... support strong conservative candidates in legislative primaries," DeSantis said.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday he plans to veto a so-called watered-down immigration bill passed by state Republican lawmakers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was flying high with a presidential hopes. But this week's special session has revealed fissures between him and a previously pliant Legislature.

The survey, conducted Jan. 22 through 27, shows Ron DeSantis at 8% support, far behind Vice President JD Vance (27%) and Donald Trump, Jr. (21%). Another Florida man is farther back: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has 3% support, tied with Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Flanked by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the bill would deter local law enforcement from deporting undocumented immigrants.

The relationship between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican leaders of the Florida Legislature has devolved into open hostility. In social media posts and public pronouncements this week, DeSantis has accused legislators of sabotaging his plans for strong immigration enforcement.

The governor plans to use his Florida Freedom Fund, which was key in defeating marijuana and abortion measures last year, to support strong conservative candidates against defiant legislators.

The GOP supermajority legislature was the first to deny a Republican governor a special session since they took control in the 1990s.