TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Legislature kicked off the 2025 Legislative Session, but the talk of the town was First Lady Casey DeSantis’s probable 2026 gubernatorial run and a running Black List of Republican lawmakers that the DeSantis’s embrace.
From rumors of reality, Mrs. DeSantis is expected to announce her run for Governor in the coming weeks, and while the DeSantis’s enjoy widespread name identification, not all Republicans want to see a third DeSantis term.
The one Republican lawmaker that is at the very top of the DeSantis ‘Black List’ is State Senator Randy Fine, who recinded his endorsement of Gov. DeSantis during the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary race.
According to Sen. Fine, who walked out of the House chamber moments before DeSantis appeared to deliver his address, a “black list” exists that extends further than just the Governor’s Mansion.
“Of course, there is a black list. It’s a blacklist that involves the Governor’s mansion, it involves events in your distric—there is absolutely a blacklist,” said Sen. Fine in an interview with The Floridian.
Fine contends that DeSantis claims that DeSantis did not invite him to a Hanukkah party at the Mansion in 2023.
“I am the only Jewish Republican,” said Fine. “Last year, he didn’t do one at all. I guess not running for office, you don’t have to do anything for Jews, but previous year he had a Hannukah party and he didn’t invite me.”
Fine concluded by opining about a potential Mrs. DeSantis gubernatorial run, saying that Republican voters would not vote for a third DeSantis term in office.
“I don’t think there is a path. I don’t think Republican voters go for the nepotism thing, or the third term. We are the term limit party. I don’t think it sells,” he concluded.
