Republicans in Florida have once again rebuffed Gov. Ron DeSantis' push to pass sweeping AI regulation in the state, a move that comes as he tries to position himself as the face of Republican AI skepticism nationally.
DeSantis was unable to get Republican majorities in both chambers to pass an AI-focused regulatory scheme during the state's regular legislative session earlier this year. He again asked lawmakers to consider the proposal during a special session that began this week, which is predominantly focused on changes to Florida's congressional maps.
House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican who has a long-running feud with DeSantis, said when opening the special session Tuesday morning that the governor-requested AI proposal would not be considered. That put Perez on the same side as President Donald Trump, whose administration has said AI regulation should happen at the federal level.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and some advocacy groups have largely supported DeSantis' concerns about AI expansion, though they differ sharply on solutions. The governor's focus on protecting children from AI dangers has drawn support from parents' rights organizations.
"Voters elected Republicans to protect freedom against both the Big Tech cartel and the medical industrial complex," DeSantis wrote on social media after the decision. "Yet, when given the chance to deliver for their constituents, not a single Republican House member could even be bothered to file a bill."
DeSantis political adviser Taryn Fenske told NBC News earlier this year that the governor's skepticism stems from documented harms: The governor is an AI skeptic because chatbots are convincing children to commit suicides.
An NBC News poll conducted in March found that 57% of registered voters are concerned that risks associated with AI outweigh the benefits. A plurality of voters also said they do not trust either major political party to handle the industry's quick expansion effectively.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative Republicans, including those aligned with the Trump administration, argue that state-level AI regulation would stifle innovation and cede control to California-style overreach.
"I understand the governor's concerns of wanting to protect children," Perez said. "But we have clearly seen that the president of the United States issued an executive order stating the federal government should take the handle of the AI policies in this country."
Vice President JD Vance, considered one of the party's biggest AI champions, warned at last year's Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris that too much regulation could kill a transformative industry. Vance has been a proponent of federal rather than state regulation.
"I think eventually you're going to have some standard applied, whether it's a federal standard or whether it's one state standard dominating," Vance told Fox News last fall. "I think the worst possible outcome would be to have far-left California dominate the entire AI regulatory map."
Republican pollster Micah Roberts of Public Opinion Strategies said polling reflects real voter concerns about AI's impact on jobs, particularly among younger voters and women under 50.
What the Numbers Show
The Florida Senate, which is more closely aligned with DeSantis than the House, passed legislation the governor requested on a bipartisan vote. However, that measure becomes moot because the House will not consider any AI-related bills during the special session.
No Republican in the Florida state House had filed the AI legislation DeSantis requested, making it difficult for the measure to be considered during the weeklong special session.
Leading the Future, a leading pro-AI super PAC, is spending $5 million to boost the Republican gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Byron Donalds, who is endorsed by Trump and considered much more industry-friendly than DeSantis. Donalds was the first state-level candidate to receive financial support from the group.
AI-aligned super PACs are flooding airwaves with ads ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with total spending in the tens of millions across competitive races.
The Bottom Line
DeSantis' repeated failure to advance AI regulation through his own party's legislature highlights a fundamental split within the GOP over how to handle emerging technology. While DeSantis positions himself as an AI skeptic ahead of potential 2028 presidential consideration, most Republican leaders including Trump and Vance favor federal preemption over state-by-state rules.
The governor's inability to get lawmakers from his own party to pass any AI regulation comes as the industry is expected to have a significant focus on Florida in coming election cycles. With major figures like Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio positioning themselves as clear supporters of the AI industry with federal oversight, DeSantis has carved out a distinct political lane on the issue.
What to watch: Whether DeSantis continues pushing state-level regulation during next year's regular legislative session, or pivots to advocating for specific federal standards he could support. Also monitor whether the $5 million pro-AI investment in Donalds' gubernatorial bid reshapes Florida's Republican landscape on tech policy.