Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., took time on Sunday to address rumors that First Lady Casey DeSantis could toss her hat into the governors' race in an opposing bid to succeed her husband once his term expires in 2027.
"I remember back in 2018 campaigning for a then-Congressman DeSantis who had the support of Donald Trump, and that worked out great for our state," Donalds said, speaking with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo in a "Sunday Morning Futures" exclusive.
"In 2025, moving into 2026, I'm really honored to have the same support from President Trump. He has a history of making good picks, and I think his picks have always worked out for the Sunshine State. I'm happy to have President Trump's support," he added.
FLORIDA REP. BYRON DONALDS ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) speaks during the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The Trump-backed congressman announced plans to run for Florida governor next year during an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" last Tuesday night, a decision that, in his words, came after "a lot of prayer [and] a lot of thoughts with my family and my friends."
"Sean, we have a wonderful state," Donalds said at the time. "I got to Florida when I was 17 years old, off of a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. And over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career. … I was able to serve four years in the state legislature, four years in Congress.
TRUMP SAYS THIS CONGRESSMAN WOULD HAVE HIS ‘TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’ IF HE RUNS FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR
Casey DeSantis, Florida's first lady, during a campaign event for Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, in Atlantic, Iowa, US, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Gov. Ron DeSantis, last Monday, declined to make an endorsement in the race last week. His wife Casey, has yet to make a formal announcement despite hints she could join the race at some point.
Donalds said he's going to remain "focused on Floridians" and will offer attention to primary challengers once they have officially entered the race.
"We're going to be focused on the ideas to move our state to the next level," he added.
Fox News' Danielle Wallace and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.