Members of President-elect Donald Trump's family played a significant role in his Nov. 5 victory, with daughter-in-law Lara Trump top among them, doing so via her leadership role atop the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Now that the election is in the rearview mirror, Lara Trump has announced plans to step down as RNC co-chair, prompting intense speculation about what her next career move might be, as the Associated Press reports.

Moving on

Lara Trump, 42, ascended to the role of RNC co-chair back in March, and she went on to help orchestrate her father-in-law's win over Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris last month.

On Sunday, she made public her decision to step aside at the next meeting of the RNC, noting that she had achieved everything she set out to do when she accepted the job alongside Michael Whatley.

“At the RNC, we had three distinct goals: 1) surpass all fundraising records 2) build the largest army of lawyers and poll watchers to ensure election integrity and, 3) turn out millions of Americans and low propensity voters during early voting,” Mrs. Trump declared.

She then added proudly, “We accomplished all three.”

Describing her time as RNC co-chair during the 2024 race as “the honor of my life,” Mrs. Trump stated that the job she was sent to do “is now complete.”

What's next?

Not long after her father-in-law's election win, rumors began to swirl that Lara Trump was a likely favorite to replace Sen. Marco Rubio, Donald Trump's nominee to head the State Department, once his seat becomes vacant upon his potential confirmation.

Rubio's replacement will be selected by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Republican commentators have suggested that DeSantis might be able to score useful points with Donald Trump by appointing Lara Trump to the open seat and also curry favor with MAGA voters he may need to court in aid of his own future political aspirations.

In addition, there could be great practical value for the state of Florida in having a Trump family insider representing the state in D.C. once the presidential transition is complete.

Back in November, DeSantis acknowledged having received “strong interest from several possible candidates,” adding that he was continuing “to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting,” but talk of Lara Trump's prospects has only grown since then, with a recent poll revealing that 59% of Republican voters support her possible move to the legislature's upper chamber.

Prominent voices weigh in

Among the well-known political players who have already thrown their support behind Lara Trump as a replacement for Rubio is Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who said, “We need more Republicans in Washington who actually represent the Republican Party back home and will be steadfast in their commitment to fulfill the mandate from this election -- to Make America Great Again. @LaraLeaTrump is that person,” echoing expressions of support from the likes of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Katie Britt, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, as well as Elon and Maye Musk.

Whether Lara Trump ultimately gets the Senate nod from DeSantis remains to be seen, but just last month, she declared, “If I am tapped to serve in another capacity, it truly would be my honor. I have not been asked yet, but I certainly would strongly consider it if it is presented to me,” signaling what many would certainly read as a willingness to accept the role.