Speaking at a press conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday, the morning after Election Day, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a blunt assessment of the 2026 midterm elections, describing the results as close to an "extinction-level event" and the "political equivalent of a meteor strike" for the Republican Party. He said the GOP now finds itself in a "deep hole."
"I am concerned nationally," DeSantis told reporters. Democrats captured control of both chambers of Congress, setting up a divided government for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. The governor warned the fallout could stretch far beyond one cycle, affecting the next two, four or six years of American politics.
DeSantis said a Democratic Senate could block Trump from confirming conservative Cabinet officials or a Supreme Court nominee if a seat opens, and he predicted heightened conflict between Congress and the White House over budgets, legislation and nominations. He pointed to Republican defeats in Ohio and Texas as especially damaging, calling Texas a longtime anchor for the party.
"If the Republican Party doesn't have Texas as an anchor, then we are not going to be viable moving forward," DeSantis said. In Texas, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, while Democrats also won Ohio's governor's race and a U.S. Senate seat there.
Florida, he argued, was the clear exception. Republicans swept the state's major statewide contests, winning the governor's race, U.S. Senate, attorney general and chief financial officer. U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds was elected Florida's next governor, defeating Democrat David Jolly. DeSantis said Florida was the only one of the nation's 10 largest states expected to remain under Republican control, calling it the party's last major anchor.
"Our line of scrimmage held better here in Florida," DeSantis said. He acknowledged that Democrats produced one of their strongest turnouts in modern Florida history, but said Republicans prevailed on raw numbers. "The only thing that saved us was we just have more Republicans," he said, crediting the state party with building trust and a durable coalition. He also suggested some losses elsewhere could have been avoided with better governance.
The governor cautioned against complacency. "Nothing is guaranteed in this," he said, calling the current period "very volatile" and warning that strategies that worked two years ago may no longer work. He urged Florida Republicans to stay attentive to shifting voter concerns.
DeSantis also praised voters for approving Amendment 3, a constitutional change expanding homestead property tax exemptions and lowering the annual assessment cap for certain non-homestead properties. He said the measure, a priority he has long backed, helped drive turnout. "Had Amendment 3 not been on the ballot, I don't know that we turn out the voters that we ended up turning out," he said. "People wanted to vote yes on that, and then many of them ended up voting Republican later on down the ballot." The amendment's first changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and DeSantis said he wants to ensure it is implemented so Floridians see real savings.
Looking ahead, DeSantis said he plans to work with the Legislature during a special session on further homestead tax changes and on limits preventing local governments from undercutting the amendment. "The more we can get the homestead tax-free, the better," he said, adding that lawmakers would be given time to settle in and set the schedule.
DeSantis said Republicans nationally would need time to recover from the losses, which he expects to shape policy fights for years. As for his own remaining time in office, he pledged to keep pushing on property tax relief and other priorities. "More work to do until the lights are out," he said. Donalds is scheduled to take office as Florida's governor in January 2027.
