Florida’s Governor continues to top the field when it comes to who will run the Pentagon during the second Donald Trump administration.
As of Thursday morning, Ron DeSantis led the field on Polymarket, with a “Yes” share valued at 42 cents.
That means his chances, according to those investing in this market, are nearly double those of Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host whose “Yes” shares are priced at 23 cents.
Other names, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, are priced under 10 cents at this writing.
Hegseth continues to make his case to Republican Senators on Capitol Hill Thursday, amid allegations described by The Associated Press of “multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement.”
Marc Caputo reported in The Bulwark that DeSantis and Trump have discussed the possibility of the Governor going to the Defense Department, and per four sources from Trump and DeSantis’ respective orbits, talks are in “advanced stages.”
Hegseth has fought hard to save his nomination.
“The press is peddling anonymous story after anonymous story, all meant to smear me and tear me down,” he wrote Wednesday in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that was shared in full by the Trump transition team.
“It’s a textbook manufactured media takedown. They provide no evidence, no names, and they ignore the legions of people who speak on my behalf. They need to create a bogeyman, because they believe I threaten their institutional insanity. That is the only thing they are right about.”
DeSantis is not speaking publicly about whether he’s in the on-deck circle to replace Hegseth as the nominee, in the manner that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi replaced former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as Trump’s pick for Attorney General.
However, Florida Democrats have alleged that DeSantis presents “grave danger” should he be nominated.
“Make no mistake, if Ron DeSantis is nominated as the U.S. Secretary of Defense — he will have no problem weaponizing the military to go after ‘enemies from within’, arrest political opponents, ban peaceful protests, round up immigrants and use military force against the American people. Our servicemen and women did not sign up for this,” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said Wednesday.
The post Odds on favorite: Ron DeSantis riding high in Sec Def betting market appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..