India, Nov. 7 -- TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Within 72 hours of the most devastating midterm defeat the Republican Party has suffered in a generation, the race to succeed US President Donald Trump had already begun. And the opening shot was fired, and immediately denied, in Florida.

Ron DeSantis is preparing to run for the GOP's 2028 presidential nomination, according to three people briefed on his plans, after his home state of Florida was one of the few conservative bastions to survive the Democrats' sweeping midterm victory.

The Washington Post reported Friday, citing three people briefed on his plans, that DeSantis was preparing to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. The newspaper reported that DeSantis, who unsuccessful...