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.

Upping the ante in an increasingly acrimonious feud with House and Senate Republican leaders over immigration issues, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday vowed to channel “huge sums" of money to candidates he backs in next year’s GOP gubernatorial and legislative primary elections.

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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.

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

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.

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.

Gov. Ron DeSantis held another roundtable with local law enforcement as he seeks to introduce his own immigration laws in the face of opposition from state lawmakers.