DeSantis and other Republicans at an impasse regarding Trump’s policies: ‘Mommy and daddy are fighting’
It’s an astonishing development for a governor accustomed to achieving his desires — and a challenge to his national viability as he faces the conclusion of his term in two years.
TroibNews 
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Following Donald Trump's ascension to the White House, Gov. Ron DeSantis aimed for Florida to be at the forefront of implementing the MAGA agenda.
However, the typically cooperative Florida Legislature appears to have different priorities.
A special session is set to begin in Tallahassee, where DeSantis confronts significant challenges in collaborating with his fellow Republicans since he suspended his 2024 presidential campaign. He is seeking legislative action on illegal immigration that aligns with Trump's executive orders and mass deportation strategies, as well as looking to implement major changes that would complicate the passage of ballot initiatives.
DeSantis had to compel lawmakers to return to the capital, as Republican legislative leaders indicated that the work could be deferred until the regular session in March. Even once lawmakers arrive in Tallahassee, it remains uncertain whether they will support DeSantis’s agenda or demonstrate resistance.
This development marks a dramatic shift for a governor long accustomed to having his way, posing a challenge to his influence as he approaches the end of his term in two years.
In response to this pushback, DeSantis has taken a firm stance. He warned last Thursday that any opposition would have political consequences and stated that if his objectives were not met this week, he would simply call another special session.
“I’m not letting go,” DeSantis said. “I‘m not going to wait six months.”
Nevertheless, this approach has not yielded the desired results thus far. The governor proceeded with the special session without prior negotiations with legislative leaders and informed them of his plans mere moments before a press conference, as per information from two spokespersons for the legislative leaders.
A notable memo from state House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton reminded DeSantis that it is the responsibility of lawmakers to determine which bills are passed and the timing of their passage. This serves as a clear indication that DeSantis’ political influence has diminished since he stepped away from the presidential race last year.
The conflict has left many Republican lawmakers frustrated, with one describing the situation as a “shit show.” Meanwhile, Democratic legislators are content to observe the discord, as they hold insufficient numbers to effect change.
“I’m going to have on my finest suit,” state Sen. Shevrin Jones said. “That’s what my grandfather used to say when something was about to go down.”
“Mommy and daddy are fighting,” remarked state Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo. “And they have to consume for more power, more relevance, more attention.”
“We’re all grown-ups, so there are some adults in the room,” he emphasized. “The Senate president and the speaker really probably need to get together on what they'll agree to do.”
As tensions rose over the weekend, three Republican legislators shared their inability to file bills associated with the special session.
By Sunday, however, the filing system seemed to function again, leading several legislators aligned with DeSantis to submit bills in support of his special session request.
One unnamed Republican House member indicated that while GOP legislators do not oppose some of DeSantis’s proposals, they do not perceive immediate action as necessary. They characterized the situation as a power struggle among Albritton, Perez, and DeSantis that requires resolution.
“The memo that Danny and Ben put out was procedural, but what the governor is doing is political theater,” the member noted. Nevertheless, the legislator expressed that “No one feels the need to cover for him politically. He’s not the best politician. He’s a bull in every china shop.”
Since announcing the special session, DeSantis has exerted pressure on lawmakers via social media, press conferences, and Fox News appearances. He appointed agency officials to raise concerns about illegal immigration during meetings that were intended to address different matters.
When these tactics fell short, he publicly called out lawmakers, sending messages to constituents via the Republican Party of Florida, which included urging them to contact their representatives about the “illegal immigration crisis!”
Reinforcing his efforts, DeSantis reached out to grassroots leaders through email and held an emergency Zoom meeting with Republican Party of Florida members. He urged them to “reach out to legislators and tell them they need to make a commitment to doing this, preferably public,” as conveyed by Anthony Sabatini, a former Republican state representative who was part of the call.
State party chair Evan Power confirmed that the governor, in his capacity as head of the Republican Party of Florida, has the leeway to utilize party resources to communicate his position. Despite these efforts, the RPOF is remaining neutral regarding the special session, although Power noted that illegal immigration is a top concern for voters.
“I think the Legislature is prepared to deliver,” he affirmed. “The question is over timing.”
State Sen. Randy Fine remarked that he and others were critical of the session's timing, pointing out that it incurs significant costs to bring lawmakers to the capital when committee meetings were not originally scheduled. Many lawmakers hold jobs outside of their legislative duties, Fine noted, calling DeSantis’ approach a “big government philosophy.” He labeled the special session call a “gimmick” since the necessary legislation had yet to be drafted.
At this stage, all that’s known is that legislators will convene Monday morning, according to a memo shared on Friday. Beyond this, insights into what may unfold remain unclear to even Republican lawmakers.
Rep. Dean Black expressed confidence in Perez, believing he would make prudent decisions and ensure the session is productive.
“I expect there will be meaningful work and it will be well thought out,” he stated.
“Regardless of the topic, I don’t think anyone would like to have a special session,” acknowledged state Rep. Toby Overdorf. “But we realize this is something that sometimes happens, and if the governor feels it’s something that needs to be addressed sooner than regular [session], then I’m sure the speaker will address it and we’ll be supporting the overall message of President Trump.”
While DeSantis has presented the session with general aims, some of his proposals have sparked concern. He originally suggested criminal charges against police officers and elected officials who fail to cooperate fully with federal immigration authorities, and the proposed changes to ballot initiatives could have wide-ranging effects.
However, Trump expressed his support for DeSantis via Truth Social just a day after legislative leaders deemed the session “irresponsible” and “premature,” encouraging other states to emulate Florida’s lead. DeSantis mentioned that he was golfing with Trump in Palm Beach when they discussed these issues in a podcast interview.
State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, who initially supported DeSantis's call for a special session, highlighted that Trump’s endorsement helped sway other lawmakers. Ingoglia noted that DeSantis has been in discussions with Trump and his policy team.
“The president has four short years to accomplish all his lofty, aggressive goals,” Angoglia said. “We don't have time to waste. I stand with the governor in having a special session on this. We need to be aggressive on this and, quite frankly, Florida needs to lead. We cannot wait.”
This stalemate marks a significant change for DeSantis, who relied on Trump’s backing to secure his 2018 gubernatorial victory. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he emerged as a prominent figure among conservatives, leveraging his governorship to effectively navigate issues from abortion to race and gender ahead of launching his presidential campaign.
Now, as DeSantis aligns his proposals with Trump, lawmakers find themselves in a position where opposing him could be perceived as opposing the president’s agenda, particularly after Trump won Florida by a 13 percentage point margin. A DeSantis ally in the Legislature, granted anonymity for candid discussion, suggested that legislative leaders should have chosen a different issue to contest.
“If they wanted to assert their power over the governor, this was the dumbest issue to do it over: illegal immigration,” the ally stated, “because they can’t win, politically or policy-wise.”
Isa Domíguez contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
However, the typically cooperative Florida Legislature appears to have different priorities.
A special session is set to begin in Tallahassee, where DeSantis confronts significant challenges in collaborating with his fellow Republicans since he suspended his 2024 presidential campaign. He is seeking legislative action on illegal immigration that aligns with Trump's executive orders and mass deportation strategies, as well as looking to implement major changes that would complicate the passage of ballot initiatives.
DeSantis had to compel lawmakers to return to the capital, as Republican legislative leaders indicated that the work could be deferred until the regular session in March. Even once lawmakers arrive in Tallahassee, it remains uncertain whether they will support DeSantis’s agenda or demonstrate resistance.
This development marks a dramatic shift for a governor long accustomed to having his way, posing a challenge to his influence as he approaches the end of his term in two years.
In response to this pushback, DeSantis has taken a firm stance. He warned last Thursday that any opposition would have political consequences and stated that if his objectives were not met this week, he would simply call another special session.
“I’m not letting go,” DeSantis said. “I‘m not going to wait six months.”
Nevertheless, this approach has not yielded the desired results thus far. The governor proceeded with the special session without prior negotiations with legislative leaders and informed them of his plans mere moments before a press conference, as per information from two spokespersons for the legislative leaders.
A notable memo from state House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton reminded DeSantis that it is the responsibility of lawmakers to determine which bills are passed and the timing of their passage. This serves as a clear indication that DeSantis’ political influence has diminished since he stepped away from the presidential race last year.
The conflict has left many Republican lawmakers frustrated, with one describing the situation as a “shit show.” Meanwhile, Democratic legislators are content to observe the discord, as they hold insufficient numbers to effect change.
“I’m going to have on my finest suit,” state Sen. Shevrin Jones said. “That’s what my grandfather used to say when something was about to go down.”
“Mommy and daddy are fighting,” remarked state Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo. “And they have to consume for more power, more relevance, more attention.”
“We’re all grown-ups, so there are some adults in the room,” he emphasized. “The Senate president and the speaker really probably need to get together on what they'll agree to do.”
As tensions rose over the weekend, three Republican legislators shared their inability to file bills associated with the special session.
By Sunday, however, the filing system seemed to function again, leading several legislators aligned with DeSantis to submit bills in support of his special session request.
One unnamed Republican House member indicated that while GOP legislators do not oppose some of DeSantis’s proposals, they do not perceive immediate action as necessary. They characterized the situation as a power struggle among Albritton, Perez, and DeSantis that requires resolution.
“The memo that Danny and Ben put out was procedural, but what the governor is doing is political theater,” the member noted. Nevertheless, the legislator expressed that “No one feels the need to cover for him politically. He’s not the best politician. He’s a bull in every china shop.”
Since announcing the special session, DeSantis has exerted pressure on lawmakers via social media, press conferences, and Fox News appearances. He appointed agency officials to raise concerns about illegal immigration during meetings that were intended to address different matters.
When these tactics fell short, he publicly called out lawmakers, sending messages to constituents via the Republican Party of Florida, which included urging them to contact their representatives about the “illegal immigration crisis!”
Reinforcing his efforts, DeSantis reached out to grassroots leaders through email and held an emergency Zoom meeting with Republican Party of Florida members. He urged them to “reach out to legislators and tell them they need to make a commitment to doing this, preferably public,” as conveyed by Anthony Sabatini, a former Republican state representative who was part of the call.
State party chair Evan Power confirmed that the governor, in his capacity as head of the Republican Party of Florida, has the leeway to utilize party resources to communicate his position. Despite these efforts, the RPOF is remaining neutral regarding the special session, although Power noted that illegal immigration is a top concern for voters.
“I think the Legislature is prepared to deliver,” he affirmed. “The question is over timing.”
State Sen. Randy Fine remarked that he and others were critical of the session's timing, pointing out that it incurs significant costs to bring lawmakers to the capital when committee meetings were not originally scheduled. Many lawmakers hold jobs outside of their legislative duties, Fine noted, calling DeSantis’ approach a “big government philosophy.” He labeled the special session call a “gimmick” since the necessary legislation had yet to be drafted.
At this stage, all that’s known is that legislators will convene Monday morning, according to a memo shared on Friday. Beyond this, insights into what may unfold remain unclear to even Republican lawmakers.
Rep. Dean Black expressed confidence in Perez, believing he would make prudent decisions and ensure the session is productive.
“I expect there will be meaningful work and it will be well thought out,” he stated.
“Regardless of the topic, I don’t think anyone would like to have a special session,” acknowledged state Rep. Toby Overdorf. “But we realize this is something that sometimes happens, and if the governor feels it’s something that needs to be addressed sooner than regular [session], then I’m sure the speaker will address it and we’ll be supporting the overall message of President Trump.”
While DeSantis has presented the session with general aims, some of his proposals have sparked concern. He originally suggested criminal charges against police officers and elected officials who fail to cooperate fully with federal immigration authorities, and the proposed changes to ballot initiatives could have wide-ranging effects.
However, Trump expressed his support for DeSantis via Truth Social just a day after legislative leaders deemed the session “irresponsible” and “premature,” encouraging other states to emulate Florida’s lead. DeSantis mentioned that he was golfing with Trump in Palm Beach when they discussed these issues in a podcast interview.
State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, who initially supported DeSantis's call for a special session, highlighted that Trump’s endorsement helped sway other lawmakers. Ingoglia noted that DeSantis has been in discussions with Trump and his policy team.
“The president has four short years to accomplish all his lofty, aggressive goals,” Angoglia said. “We don't have time to waste. I stand with the governor in having a special session on this. We need to be aggressive on this and, quite frankly, Florida needs to lead. We cannot wait.”
This stalemate marks a significant change for DeSantis, who relied on Trump’s backing to secure his 2018 gubernatorial victory. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he emerged as a prominent figure among conservatives, leveraging his governorship to effectively navigate issues from abortion to race and gender ahead of launching his presidential campaign.
Now, as DeSantis aligns his proposals with Trump, lawmakers find themselves in a position where opposing him could be perceived as opposing the president’s agenda, particularly after Trump won Florida by a 13 percentage point margin. A DeSantis ally in the Legislature, granted anonymity for candid discussion, suggested that legislative leaders should have chosen a different issue to contest.
“If they wanted to assert their power over the governor, this was the dumbest issue to do it over: illegal immigration,” the ally stated, “because they can’t win, politically or policy-wise.”
Isa Domíguez contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
