Meet Jeanette Núñez, first in line to replace Ron DeSantis
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Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez in 2020. Photo: Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez will inherit the keys to the governor's mansion should Gov. Ron DeSantis be promoted up to Washington, D.C.
Why it matters: DeSantis oversaw a transformational, rightward shift in Florida politics, whereas Núñez's record suggests she'd take a more moderate approach.
Context: Núñez would serve for the remainder of DeSantis' term, which expires in 2026. She'd become the first woman and first Cuban-American to serve as governor.
The big picture: Núñez isn't a well-known figure in Florida. Her ascension would shape the state's role in the early days of Trump's new administration, during which he has promised mass deportations.
Zoom in: Núñez hails from Miami. She began her political career as a state representative in 2010 and climbed the conservative ranks to become the House's second-ranking member.
- Núñez backed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in his failed presidential bid, and she once called Trump a "con-man" in a tweet. She deleted it soon after DeSantis named her as his running mate in 2018.
- A former colleague at the time remarked that she might have "too moderate of a voting record for Ron."
- One of her more high-profile acts in the legislature was her championing of the 2014 law that allowed undocumented children to qualify for in-state tuition — which DeSantis tried (and failed) to repeal last year.
Yes, but: As lieutenant governor, Núñez hasn't balked at DeSantis' hardline stances on immigration — she's backed them.
- She supported DeSantis' migrant relocation program and drew backlash when she suggested that the state would bus undocumented Cuban immigrants to Delaware.
- This year, Núñez touted Florida as a "blueprint for other states to protect their citizens against illegal immigration."
The bottom line: Núñez might soften DeSantis' platform, but she won't discard it.