MIAMI 鈥� Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida would normally be traversing the state this time of year, trumpeting his legislative accomplishments and the fellow Republican lawmakers who had fallen in line to achieve them. So it was during his first six years in office, especially as he prepared to run for president.
This year has been different, mostly because of one man. Daniel Perez, the Republican speaker of the state House of Representatives, clashed with DeSantis over how to crack down on illegal immigration; allowed a House investigation into a charity tied to the governor鈥檚 wife, Casey DeSantis; and insisted on passing a slimmer state budget than what the governor proposed, even if it meant dragging out the unusually bitter legislative session for an extra six weeks.
Perez, a 37-year-old Cuban American lawyer from Miami, may not have set out to become the governor鈥檚 adversary when he assumed his leadership role last year. His goal was to reassert his chamber鈥檚 power, 鈥渢o be a coequal branch of government,鈥� he said in an interview Monday, the session鈥檚 final day.
Yet that was enough to shift the power dynamics in the Republican-controlled state Capitol, where lawmakers had spent years bending to the will of a popular governor who steadily expanded executive power.
DeSantis, who is term-limited and has one more regular session left, faced more resistance than ever before. The relationship between DeSantis and Perez got so rancorous that at one point, DeSantis referred to House lawmakers as 鈥渢reacherous.鈥� Perez countered that the 鈥渆motional鈥� governor was throwing 鈥渢emper tantrums.鈥�
In some ways, the conflict was the point, Perez said Monday.
鈥淲e were able to have a difference of opinion,鈥� he told reporters in Tallahassee. 鈥淲e were able to reach a conclusion that maybe either the Senate or the governor didn鈥檛 agree with. That was our goal.鈥�
The result has been a difficult year for DeSantis and a new era for Florida politics in which the Republicans who dominate state government are not in lockstep with the increasingly less powerful governor.
DeSantis is still likely to yield significant influence in next year鈥檚 midterm elections, especially if his wife runs for governor, as she is considering, or if he backs another Republican to challenge Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples, a Congress member who has announced his candidacy and has President Donald Trump鈥檚 support.
But Casey DeSantis鈥� political stock has fallen since the House began investigating the fundraising arm of Hope Florida, a project that she started in 2021 with the aim of keeping people off public assistance. Last year, the foundation received $10 million from a Medicaid contractor that had overbilled the state 鈥� and then gave the money to two nonprofit political committees that helped the governor and his allies defeat a ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana.
State prosecutors are now investigating. In their budget, lawmakers chose not to fund new Hope Florida positions or $2 million for a Hope Florida call line that the governor had requested.
State Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican, led the investigation. In an interview, he praised Perez for looking out for his members. 鈥淗e wants to enfranchise and empower people around him,鈥� he said, noting that Perez, known as Danny, has developed strong relationships with many legislators.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy who, when you were in college, you would want as your roommate,鈥� said state Sen. Joe Gruters of Sarasota, who backed Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Gruters and Perez went to the White House this year for the Easter Egg Roll and to celebrate the Florida Panthers鈥� hockey championship. DeSantis, whose relationship with Trump has been chilly since they ran against each other in the presidential primary, did not.
Perez鈥檚 priority this year, other than to cut spending, was to give his hamstrung members some freedom. They repaid him with loyalty, backing Perez as his alliance with the state Senate president frayed over differences in which taxes to cut, leading to the overtime budget negotiations and allowing DeSantis to spend weeks reminding voters that legislative leaders had not yet fulfilled their only constitutional obligation.
鈥淣ormally there鈥檚 a budget done by now,鈥� DeSantis said recently. 鈥淗opefully it will get done. We鈥檒l see.鈥�
Perez鈥檚 hardball could result in more political blowback. After passing the $115 billion state budget late Monday, lawmakers now wait for DeSantis鈥� vetoes. Those who peeved him expect him to target their projects and priorities. DeSantis and Perez will have to work together again next session, though the governor could try to isolate him by partnering more with the Senate.
Perez said he was untroubled by such an unsettled political landscape. Despite his youth, he is not known to harbor ambitions for statewide office. After completing his term next year, Perez said he wanted to return home to his wife and three young children. He also has a younger brother who is severely autistic and motivated him to run for public office.
鈥淓very speaker kind of has their shtick,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ine was just to come in here with my arms wide open, my eyes wide open. And expect the best.鈥�
This article originally appeared in .
