After Donald Trump announced last month that he would tap Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, speculation swirled over who would take his seat in the U.S. Senate.
Emerging as an immediate frontrunner was Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump.
And the biggest indicator yet that she is considering the role came Sunday evening when Lara, 42, announced she was stepping down from her role with the RNC.
Serving as co-chair for less than a year, Lara was elected co-chair as the Party shifted to a more pro-Trump platform ahead of his official nomination at the Republican Convention in July.
Despite her short tenure, Lara said her work is finished with the RNC.
‘Serving as the GOP co-chair throughout the course of the most consequential election in American history has truly been the honor of my life,’ she posted to X on Sunday evening.
She added: ‘The job I came to do is now complete and I intend to formally step down from the RNC at our next meeting.’
The leadership shakeup came when former GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was forced out in March.
Lara Trump seems to be positioning herself to take the opening Florida Senate seat next month
Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law announced on Sunday evening that she is stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee because ‘the job I came to do is now complete’
Former Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party Michael Whatley was elected to replace McDaniel and serve alongside Lara.
While some Trump Cabinet picks are controversial, Rubio’s is not and he is likely to easily be confirmed by the Senate to serve as the next Secretary of State – leaving his Senate seat up for grabs.
Nearly six in 10 Republicans – 59 percent – say that Lara is their top pick to replace Rubio, according to a J.L. Partners poll for DailyMail.com earlier this month.
Only ten percent are opposed.
When all respondents regardless of party were considered, the response was more split. Thirty-three percent say they support Lara being a senator, with 30 percent opposed.
The mother-of-two and wife of Trump’s middle son Eric was instrumental in helping the GOP reclaim the Senate and the White House while maintaining their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2024 election.
Since last year, Lara’s political stock in MAGA world and the Republican Party has risen considerably.
The idea of a Trump family member in the U.S. Senate has garnered enthusiasm, including from Maye Musk, the mother of billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk.
‘The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets,’ she posted on X last month.
Once Rubio officially steps down from the Senate, which he is expected to do next month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has the authority to fill his seat if confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet.
Trump announced last month his intention to nominate Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, which means his U.S. Senate seat will open up in the Sunshine State
Lara Trump’s profile has risen over the last year as she helped the GOP retake the Senate and White House while maintaining a majority in the House. She has indicated that she is interested in being appointed to the U.S. Senate
Lara Trump was elected in March to serve as co-chair to new GOP Chairman Michael Whatley (right) after there was a leadership shakeup towards a more pro-Trump platform
Last month, DeSantis said he is conducting ‘[m]ore extensive vetting and candidate interviews’ throughout December so he is ready to announce Rubio’s replacement ‘by the beginning of January.’
‘Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results,’ DeSantis wrote on X.
The Florida governor ran in the 2024 primary to challenge Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.
Despite being one of the remaining contenders for the position, DeSantis fell in line over the summer when he endorsed Trump and spoke on his behalf at the Republican Convention in July.
Picking Lara would indicate that the DeSantis’s truce with Trump is holding after their bitter election scrap.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has the responsibility of filling the opening seat and said he will make his decision by the start of January. But Republican have made clear that their preference is for Lara Trump to fill the role
But the governor has plenty of local options if he is bold enough to break with Trump and elevate one of his allies instead.
DeSantis’ No. 2, Lt. Gov Jeanette Nuñez, is an obvious choice.
Other names floated include Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.
But this leaves Lara Trump with the most national name recognition and some of the most high-profile backing.
Sen. Rick Scott, who preceded DeSantis as Florida governor supports Lara.
‘We need more Republicans in Washington who actually represent the Republican Party back home and will be steadfast in their commitment to fulfill the mandate from this election – to Make America Great Again,’ Scott wrote on X.
‘Lara Lea Trump is that person,’ he insisted.
