•FL-Sen: No Republicans have entered the race to succeed presidential candidate Marco Rubio yet, but several are positioning themselves for the long contest. Rep. Ron DeSantis sounds like he's the most eager to jump in, and he said on Tuesday that he'll make a decision over the next few weeks. But several major conservative groups are making it known early that the tea party friendly DeSantis is their man. The Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, and the Tea Party Express have all issued glowing statements about DeSantis' prospective campaign, and their support could make a real difference in what will be an expensive primary.
Several other Republicans are taking steps towards running as well. Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera has said little publicly other than offering May 1 as the earliest date he'll decide, but behind-the-scenes it sounds like he's ready to go. His allies tell the National Journal that he's "95 percent there," and Gov. Rick Scott is likely to support him. Rubio, an old friend of Lopez-Cantera, is also expected to give him at least some quiet support, though it's possible he'll outright endorse him.
Rep. David Jolly's name recently emerged as a prospective candidate, and he confirmed his interest on Tuesday. Jolly says he won't decide until after his wedding around June or July. Jolly won a tough 2014 special election, and he'll start with good name recognition in the swingy Tampa Bay area. However, as one of the few congressional Republicans to support same-sex marriage, Jolly might have a problem winning over conservative primary voters. The NRCC would also prefer not to defend an open Obama 50-49 seat, and he'll likely be pressured to stay in the House.
Plenty of other Republicans covert Rubio's Senate seat. Wealthy Rep. Tom Rooney is set to meet with the NRSC about a possible bid on Thursday, while Rep. Vern Buchanan, former Sen. George LeMieux, and state Senate President Don Gaetz have all expressed interest. Former state House Speaker Will Weatherford hasn't ruled anything out either, though he doesn't sound excited about it. But Weatherford's leadership in the legislature won him plaudits among Republican establishment types, and he'll definitely be encouraged to try. Rep. Dennis Ross is also reportedly interested, though Ross has yet to say anything. Whoever eventually emerges from the GOP primary is expected to take on Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, who has a reputation as a tough campaigner, though Rep. Alan Grayson is also talking about jumping in.