Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unleashed a blistering attack on Republican leadership following Tuesday’s disastrous midterm elections, accusing GOP lawmakers of squandering their opportunity to deliver sweeping conservative reforms while Republicans controlled the White House and both chambers of Congress.
During an appearance with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, DeSantis ripped into Senate Republicans for failing to pursue an aggressive immigration agenda, codify President Donald Trump’s executive orders, and confront federal courts that have obstructed the administration’s deportation efforts.
His message was unmistakable: Republicans were handed a historic opportunity to reshape the country, and they blew it.
And now, with Democrats having captured both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterms, that opportunity is slipping away.
DeSantis argued that congressional Republicans spent nearly two years making excuses instead of advancing transformative conservative legislation.
“If you’re going to do huge conservative things that are going to reorient the country for a generation, fine. But I saw no indication that the current group of Republican senators were interested in doing that type of bold conservative change.”
The Florida governor then rattled off a series of conservative immigration priorities that he believes Republican lawmakers should have aggressively pursued.
“Why haven’t we done immigration, shut off H-1B visas? Why haven’t we codified Trump’s immigration executive orders?”
He continued:
“Why haven’t we stripped jurisdiction from the federal courts over deportation cases? There’s so many things that could have been done. They didn’t even attempt it, Laura.”
DeSantis’s remarks represent a direct challenge to the Republican establishment, particularly Senate leadership under John Thune, which has repeatedly pointed to procedural obstacles and insufficient votes as explanations for its inability to advance major conservative priorities.
The governor was having none of it.
“They would say, ‘Oh, if only we needed 50 votes, we would have done it.’ You don’t have 50 votes for doing conservative things. You’ve never shown that you’ll do conservative things even with 50 votes.”
DeSantis suggested that Republican leadership’s failure to produce meaningful legislative victories contributed to the party’s devastating losses.
“And look, this midterm, no question, was a rebuke of the president and the Congress by Democrats, independents, and some Republicans that crossed over.”
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But he also pointed to disillusioned conservative voters who may have decided that Republicans had failed to deliver on their promises.
“But a lot of our voters who stayed home, they stayed home because they were frustrated with the lack of productivity from Republicans in the House and Senate.”
WATCH:
🚨 Ron DeSantis is GOING OFF on Republicans for SQUANDERING our TWO YEAR TRIFECTA — ESPECIALLY on deportations
“Why haven’t we STRIPPED JURISDICTION from the federal courts over deportation cases?!”
“Why haven’t we done IMMIGRATION?! Shut off H1B visas! Why haven’t we CODIFIED Trump’s immigration executive orders? There’s SO MANY THINGS that could have been done. They didn’t even ATTEMPT it, Laura.”
“A lot of our voters who STAYED HOME. They stayed home because they were FRUSTRATED with the lack of productivity from Republicans in the House and Senate.”
Senate Republicans had everything they needed to LOCK IN conservative immigration policy for a GENERATION. They didn’t even TRY.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 5, 2026
DeSantis also issued an urgent warning to Senate Republicans, demanding that they use their remaining weeks in power to confirm as many of President Trump’s conservative judicial nominees as possible before Democrats take control of the chamber on January 3, 2027.
The Florida governor urged Republican senators to abandon their usual schedule and work around the clock to fill federal judicial vacancies.
“ROLL IN COTS to the US Senate Cloakroom! Have them work around the clock. You are NOT gonna be able to confirm ANY conservative judges starting Jan. 3 for the remainder of President Trump’s term.”
DeSantis pointed to the incoming Democratic Senate majority, warning that even securing support from a handful of Democrats would not be enough to advance Trump’s conservative judicial agenda.
“54 for sure, may end up with 56. Even if you got some red state Dems to flip, you are NOT getting 6 Dems.”
He delivered one final instruction to Senate Republicans:
“Make sure EVERY VACANCY IS FILLED between NOW and Jan. 3.”
🚨 BREAKING: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Senate Republicans to IMMEDIATELY go maximum speed in confirming conservative judicial nominees, NOW ‼️
“ROLL IN COTS to the US Senate Cloakroom! Have them work around the clock. You are NOT gonna be able to confirm ANY conservative judges starting Jan. 3 for the remainder of President Trump’s term. 54 for sure, may end up with 56. Even if you got some red state Dems to flip, you are NOT getting 6 Dems.”
“Make sure EVERY VACANCY IS FILLED between NOW and Jan. 3.”
TIME TO GET GOING, LEADER THUNE!
The clock is ticking. And we can’t make this decision for them, but Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito also have a decision to make here on if they want to risk being replaced by another Ketanji Brown Jackson
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 5, 2026
His comments come after months of mounting frustration among grassroots conservatives who watched Republicans struggle to advance key priorities despite their control of Washington.
The Gateway Pundit has repeatedly reported on Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s failure to secure passage of President Trump’s SAVE America Act.
In June, The Gateway Pundit reported that Thune rejected Trump’s demand to attach the SAVE America Act to FISA reauthorization, arguing that doing so would jeopardize the surveillance legislation.
Thune insisted that Republicans lacked the votes necessary to overcome Democratic opposition, even as President Trump repeatedly demanded action.
Then, in August, The Gateway Pundit reported that Thune urged Republican voters to blame Democrats for the stalled election legislation rather than GOP leadership.
Instead of eliminating the legislative filibuster to advance the measure, Thune suggested Republicans should make the issue a campaign priority and elect more Republicans.
That strategy looks considerably less convincing following Tuesday’s election results.
The Gateway Pundit also reported on President Trump’s September warning that Republicans risked losing their political future if they failed to pass the SAVE America Act.
Trump specifically urged Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster and enact the legislation.
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