DeSantis’ campaign website in the past has listed planned events on a dedicated page, but as of Thursday, no events were listed there. As for Never Back Down, the DeSantis-affiliated PAC, it listed no events either. Neither the campaign nor the governor’s press office have responded to inquiries. DeSantis formally opened his presidential campaign in late May.
DeSantis is one of two sitting governors vying for the Republican presidential nomination; the other is Doug Burgum of North Dakota, a former software company chief executive who’s been offering $20 gift cards to anyone donating at least one dollar to his campaign. Burgum claims that he has raised enough money to earn him a place in the first GOP debate on Aug. 23, including $10 million that he loaned his campaign.
Former governors in the race include Chris Christie of New Jersey and Mike Pence, who was governor of Indiana before becoming Donald Trump’s vice president. Additionally, Nikki Haley is a former governor of South Carolina who served as U.N. ambassador under Trump, and Asa Hutchinson is a former governor of Arkansas. The remaining GOP contenders have business backgrounds, including Vivek Ramaswamy, from the biotechnology sector.
Behind in polls
That said, Burgum has been decidedly lagging in the polls — recent University of New Hampshire poll put him at 6% in that state’s Republican primary, tied with Christie, following Donald Trump at 37%, DeSantis at 23%, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina at 8%. However, a national Quinnipiac poll placed Burgum at 0%. Trump had 54% in that poll and DeSantis 24%.
North Dakota lacks a resign-to-run law that might have forced Burgum to choose between his office and his aspirations. (This year, the Florida Legislature changed Florida law to clarify that DeSantis wouldn’t have to resign.) We asked Burgum’s press aides about the balance between his campaign and official duties but haven’t heard back.
Scott, of course, is the other candidate with an official day job and, similarly, his press aides didn’t get back to us either. The Senate remains at work through the end of July in advance of its August recess. Meanwhile, according to NBC News, Scott made six stops so far this month in Iowa and New Hampshire and has planned fundraising trips to Colorado, California, Maine, New York, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
As we noted above, DeSantis remains in charge of state government even in his absence. Even when he and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez both were away from Tallahassee at the same time last month — he campaigning in California and she promoting Florida aviation at the Paris Air Show.
Constitutional limits
The Florida Constitution limits the powers of lieutenant governors — their only official responsibilities are what governors tell them to do.
Nuñez, for example, has helped lead health care and space policies — see Wednesday’s event in Ocala, where she promoted investments in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, prevention, care, and support for caregivers.
During July, her schedule shows calls with Space Florida chief Frank DiBello and the Space Florida Transition Search Committee, plus a call with the Legislative and Special Initiatives Committee of the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.
Article IV, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution reads:
“There shall be a lieutenant governor, who shall perform such duties pertaining to the office of governor as shall be assigned by the governor, except when otherwise provided by law, and such other duties as may be prescribed by law.”
Section 3 provides that a lieutenant governor takes the top job “upon vacancy in the office of governor.” They also step up ‘upon impeachment of the governor and until completion of trial thereof, or during the governor’s physical or mental incapacity.”
Second-in-commands enjoy more authority in some states, including Idaho, where last year Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin issued executive orders undermining Gov. Brad Little’s COVID policies while he was out of state. The Idaho Constitution made her acting governor in his absence, but he promised at the time to countermand his orders.
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