Jacob Ogles
President Donald Trump’s political team in Washington is encouraging Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez to run for Attorney General in 2026.
That would set up a major Republican Primary between Perez and sitting Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed to the Cabinet post earlier this year.
A senior White House official told Florida Politics on Friday that Perez, who has maintained a more fractious relationship with DeSantis than any legislative leader during the Governor’s tenure, should explore a run for the statewide office. The discussion occurred during a trip when Perez and his leadership team visited the White House and met with both Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Perez, a Miami Republican, ascended to the Speaker position in November after House Republicans expanded a supermajority in the legislative chamber, the first time any caucus has successfully defended a supermajority already in place.
Trump at a press conference the same day as his meeting with the House Speaker acknowledged conversation but said he did not personally discuss a potential run for Florida Attorney General.
“We didn’t talk about that, but he’s done a fantastic job. He’s respected all over the country, really,” Trump said of Perez. “He’s a leader and he’s done just a fantastic job. We didn’t discuss anything having to do with his future. I’m sure he’d be very good at that.”
Since then, Perez has deployed the House as a significant legislative check on DeSantis’ once impressive political sway in Tallahassee. The House spearheaded an investigation into a scandal involving Uthmeier, in which Medicaid settlement money passed through the Hope Florida Foundation then awarded to anti-drug groups that donated large sums to a campaign run by Uthmeier opposing a marijuana ballot measure.
Perez also clashed with DeSantis early in the legislative term, resisting DeSantis’ proposal for an immigration crackdown and shutting down a Special Session called by the Governor to advance an alternative legislative plan, one reportedly negotiated with the Trump White House. Ultimately, the Governor and Legislature negotiated a compromise measure signed by DeSantis in February.
But the Governor has continued to criticize the House bill as one that wouldn’t have allowed the opening of Alligator Alcatraz. That’s a detainment center conceived of by Uthmeier to repurpose an airstrip in the Everglades to house migrants in the U.S. illegally who are arrested by Florida law enforcement and turned over to federal agencies for deportation.
Tension has long simmered between Trump’s political team and DeSantis, especially since the Florida Governor unsuccessfully challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination last year. That has spurred speculation about how many Republican Primary contests may happen next year between candidates endorsed by Trump or by DeSantis.
But many suspected that might not happen in the Attorney General’s race after Trump praised Uthmeier publicly after a tour of the Alligator Alcatraz facility. Perez was also in attendance at that event, despite tensions with the Governor, who led the tour.
It’s still unclear whether Perez will enter the race. But if he does, it will mean the man who managed the Governor’s presidential campaign will face a challenge from a candidate hand-picked by Trump.
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Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch contributed to this report.
2 comments
Larry Gillis, Director-at-Large, Libertarian Party of Florida
September 5, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Libertarians would like to hear from these attorneys on what their POLICIES will be on stuff directly related to the administration of justice.
With all due deference to each of them and to whatever ambitions get them out of bed in the morning, they personally are mere vehicles for addressing the issues.
LawLib
September 5, 2025 at 5:26 pm
Plus size egos at play there. Seems our President and Governor hold middle school style grudges. Will be an interesting watch.