It’s been a wild week for Joe Gruters, the former Republican Party of Florida Chair, who President Donald Trump just endorsed to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC) in the Midterms. Party leaders will meet in Atlanta on Aug. 22 to elect a successor to Michael Whatley, now a candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina.
After a week of meeting with RNC staff and attending events as far away as Big Sky, Montana, Gruters was back home in Florida this weekend for the Republican Party of Florida’s Red Florida Dinner. He sat down for a wide-ranging interview, touching on redistricting in Florida and elsewhere, his relationship with the President and administration, and the long-simmering friction between himself and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Did you have any preliminary conversations before President Trump endorsed you for RNC Chair? I heard you may have heard 10 minutes before it was announced.
Joe Gruters: I’m a big sponsor here tonight, right? They have my ads up for Team Gruters, I wouldn’t have spent $50,000 or whatever we paid to come blanket this event here. Listen, to be able to be a cabinet member in the state of Florida is a big deal. I think I was well-positioned. I thought I had the golden ticket to win. And you’ve got to remember all the things that had to happen for this to happen, right? (North Carolina U.S. Sen.) Thom Tillis had to get upset over a bill and say he’s not running, and then Lara Trump had to say she’s not running. And then Michael Whatley had to have the ability, the willingness, and the thought that he had a chance to win and say yes, he is running with the support (of President Trump). And so, there’s a lot of puzzle pieces that fit into place to make this work. But listen, I’ve been ready for this. I’ve been wanting to do this forever. I’ve been the Chairman for 22 years. I’m the ultimate party guy, assuming this position. Besides the Teen Age Republicans, four years as the YR (Young Republicans) Chair, 14 years as a Sarasota Party Chair, four years as state party Chairman. I don’t think I’m getting this because (Trump) thinks I’m a nice guy, or it’s my turn. He’s getting my track record of success running the party and winning elections. Registering voters, election integrity — all those things are in combination. But I’m ready to be put in this position. I’m ready to win this race. We’re going to do everything humanly possible to win the Midterm so we can continue the President’s agenda over the next two years.
Can I ask how seriously you were having a conversation last year when Whatley got the job last year? I know there were reports at the time that you were under consideration.
JG: I was being considered last year, but I did not get the call, right? I got the call that said I’m not the guy, which I said, ‘Fine.’ And so I thought this opportunity may have come and gone. And, like I said, there’s a lot of things that had to have happened, had to fall into the right place for this to come up. But I am so excited about this next chapter of my life, assuming that we’re successful on the 22nd to be able to go and take everything I’ve learned over the years, and take the President’s agenda and his focus on making sure we win.
Let me ask you about another job you already have. Can you say if you’re going to stay in the Florida Senate?
JG: I think it’s too premature to say, but as of right now, I have no plans on resigning my Senate seat, I plan on continuing. Listen, I don’t have to be on as many committees. I’m chairing two committees now. I think my focus will be on those two committees, and that’s it. I’d like to fulfill my service to my community for as long as I can, and so that’s still the plan.
You have a lot of responsibility for Florida now being considered a red state, but it has also come at some cost in that you don’t see millions of dollars being funneled to the state party in Presidential years or Midterms the same way. Will you be able to impact that as RNC Chair?
JG: Listen, we flipped. We went from being negative 450,000 (registered voters compared to Democrats) to plus 400,000 when I was state Chair over the four years. A lot of it has to do with the 2020 race, where the President’s team dumped tens of millions of dollars into Florida. What you saw in 2024 is, you saw zero or $100 grand or something. I mean, drastic change. But listen, I think Florida is so well-positioned now that we’re going to continue to dominate. I don’t think there’s any expectation that we’re going to let up. We have great elected officials, top to bottom. I think Ashley Moody, she’s going to crush it in the U.S. Senate seat. I think (gubernatorial candidate) Byron Donalds will. Our combined ticket at the end of the day will run circles around whoever the Dems put up. So, I’m not worried about Florida whatsoever.
Do you think there are going to be primaries in Florida this year in any of the statewide races?
JG: It’s too hard to tell. I just don’t know.
You were ready to be in a Primary. Do you want there to be a primary in your CFO race?
JG: I’m here for whatever the White House and the President decides. So, I don’t care. I have no issue with (Chief Financial Officer) Blaise Ingoglia. I have no issue. You know, Kevin Steele is being mentioned, but at the end of the day, my mission now is to support the President and to support whatever he wants to do from a political standpoint at the various levels. And so, other than the people I’ve already supported, my focus is now on doing whatever the President wants.
There’s a lot of chatter here about whether we’re going to see redistricting this year. How involved is the national party going to be in redistricting efforts in the states? And will you be involved in Florida or elsewhere?
JG: Sometimes the game is won before you hit the first tee shot, right? And so, if it gives us an advantage to flip the board, why would we not take advantage of it? I know the Governor is very serious about looking at that, the Governor of Florida, and I know Texas is also looking at it. Maybe some other states. And listen, I think we’re going to leave no stone unturned. My focus is to crush the Democrats in the Midterms. It’s to make sure we hold both chambers and hold that gavel so that we continue to push the President’s agenda. Because if the scenario is if we don’t, then all the momentum, everything we’ve done, stops automatically. We have to continue to push and do everything we possibly can.
In what states do you think that the party will play a significant direct role in redistricting?
JG: I’m not sure. I don’t know all the states. But I know Texas and Florida are both two that are on the top these are both being talked about.
Do you expect to lobby the Legislature? In Florida, you’re a member of the Legislature.
JG: I don’t think we need to, because we have a Governor that’s focused. I think that they’re committed to doing the right thing, and the Governor knows what the mission is, and I expect him to continue.
What from your time as state party Chair or in any of your efforts in various organizations in Florida do you think needs to be replicated in other states?
JG: Listen, you’ve got to have a laser focus on finding the voters and turning those voters out. And what we have to really focus on is making sure that the Trump voters that have come out in droves and voted for the President vote in these Midterms and vote in these races that these voters have largely ignored. How do you do that? You can do that in a variety of different ways. And we’re coming up with hopefully some good solutions to try to target those voters and get them out, get them to turn out, because if we get them, we win big. It will be game over.
Historically, the party out of the White House loses seats in the Midterms
JG: We’re 2 and 39, I think, in second terms, off-year elections, in the Midterms. This is gonna be a third time in history that the President’s party wins these Midterm Elections.
How much is Florida going to be a part of that in your eyes?
JG: I don’t have any doubt that Florida’s going to be successful. So, Florida is not on my radar other than this redistricting and the potential of picking up a couple of extra congressional seats out of this delegation.
I understand you’ve been traveling the country extensively in the last week. What has been the primary focus during that time?
JG: Let me tell you the greatest thing about the party right now we have (Vice President) JD Vance as our Finance Chairman, and I saw him in action. The guy’s a home run. He gets up there, the donors love him. They opened up their checkbooks. We raised, you know, $4 or $5 million right there, and got a lot of commitments to raise a lot more money. And so he is going to play a humongous, giant, enormous role for the party in making sure that we’re successful, because everything comes down to money.
Susie Wiles is here tonight. You worked on campaigns in Florida together for years. How important was that relationship in putting you in this position?
JG: She’s been around forever. I’ve been one of her lieutenants for a long time, starting in the 2012 Rick Scott race. And listen, the President has called her the most powerful woman in the world, and it’s great to have a relationship with her. We served as (Florida Trump campaign) co-chairs in the 2016 cycle. She’s been able to see everything we’ve done at the local level, at the state level, and I think that when they want somebody who understands what the party system can do and who could win and who will support the President, I think it was the consensus choice. You saw that message from the President. Obviously, I’m incredibly grateful to Susie Wiles, because if she wasn’t in that position, I probably wouldn’t be the Chairman. The President made the decision, but I’m sure Susie had a big say in what happened.
You mentioned JD Vance. You’re hoping to hold this job into the next presidential election, correct?
JG: Yeah.
Do you expect it will be contested among Republicans? Or do you want to see JD Vance as the next nominee?
JG: I don’t know about that, but what I do care about is winning the Midterms, and we’re going to win the Midterms with the help of people like JD Vance. I’m for whoever wants to help us raise money. I am going to go anywhere and everywhere to make sure we have the resources to win. But JD Vance is stepping up over and over and over again for the party, and he deserves thanks and praise from all the party members overall.
Can Ron DeSantis run for President in ’28? Can Marco Rubio run in 2028?
JG: Yeah. Why wouldn’t they be able to?
As a party chair, how involved do you plan to be? Do you expect to stay out of the Primary in 2028?
JG: Listen, the only thing I’m focused on right now is the President. But I think Primary systems are good. The Primary system is good.
Have you spoken with Gov. Ron DeSantis since landing this job?
JG: I’ve reached out.
Has he called back?
JG: No. But listen, at the end of the day, I have no issue with the Governor. I think the example that he’s showing with things like redistricting, with things like Alligator Alcatraz, I think he’s continuing to do a good job. He’s a leader of the party, and we need him to continue to be supportive, and from my standpoint, I no issue from me. But you could talk to him.
Is it easy to walk past some of the things like he said about you just last month, while stumping for Blaise Ingoglia, that questioned your conservative credentials?
JG: I don’t care. No. At the end of the day, my job is not on my policies. My positions, my policies, don’t matter. It’s about supporting the President and his agenda and everything he wants to do and implementing his vision for the party. And that’s what I’m going to do. So what the Governor’s issues or other people’s issues are doesn’t matter. Listen, I look at my party, my record of success as a party guy, and we’re going to take that and follow the President’s vision.
There was discussion in speeches today, including from the Governor, about whether the party is bringing in a lot of non-Republicans, non-conservatives, into the ranks. Is that a problem?
JG: I want to win. There’s room for everybody in the Republican Party. Everybody that loves America and that wants a future, that supports you as an individual American, is welcome in the Republican Party. The doors are wide open, and you don’t have to agree with us 100%. You don’t have to agree with us 80%. If you agree with us. 51%, if you’ll vote for our Speaker, our Senate Leader, I think you’re good to go, because at the end of the day, we need to control the chambers. We are a welcoming party and listen, I think the message of individual freedom still resonates. The President is fighting for the working class. I still say he’s the economic champion of the world. People do better when he’s in office, and they believe that he is fighting for him. And I think that’s why it’s resonating. And people like Hillary Cassel, who’s been criticized for coming over, or Susan Valdés, I love those ladies. I think it’s fantastic that they became Republicans. How lucky are we to be able to give them an opportunity to join our caucus and to vote for our leadership? Because in Florida, we’ve done so many great things, and that means we’re attracting more and more people. We should be welcoming. We need more voters. We win this game by addition at the end of the day, not subtraction.
The party has seen a lot of extreme elements criticizing the direction, including in your hometown, Sarasota County, where a former Trump administration member is managing a rabble-rousing group. Are you concerned about those groups?
JG: Listen, you could be on the left or the right of me. It doesn’t matter. Like I said, I think the President’s very welcoming to everybody. He sets his vision, his targets. And I think people are drawn to it. They love winning, but they love the President. And so I think it attracts a wide variety of people.
Anything else you want to make sure to say here?
JG: Just that JD Vance has done such a phenomenal job for the party, and he’s helping us win. But listen, the Governor’s doing a great job by setting the example for some of this other stuff. We’re going to continue to win, and I’m so grateful to be able to take this opportunity and to move forward.
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