U.S. Rep. Ron DeSanti s, R-Fla., a possible U.S Senate candidate in 2016, said on Monday he will bring out a constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms senators and representatives can serve in Congress.
Under DeSantis proposal, senators will be able to serve up to two terms and members of the House will be able to serve up to three terms. A similar proposal in the House is being backed by U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.
But DeSantis proposal calls for a gradual phasing in of congressional term limits. Members of Congress in office when DeSantis amendment is enacted would be exempt, much like then-President Harry S. Truman was exempted when the 22nd Amendment limiting the president to two terms was ratified back in 1951.
DeSantis explained the logic of his proposal on Monday.
Too many in Washington display a ruling class mentality and congressional term limits would go a long way toward restoring the citizen-legislator ethos of the Founding Fathers, DeSantis said. Americans of all political backgrounds overwhelmingly support term limits, yet term limits have floundered in Congress. An approach that phases in congressional term limits reconciles the self-interest of members of Congress with the publics desire to see these changes enacted and gives us the best chance to make term limits a reality.
The Northeast Florida congressman also penned an op-ed on the subject at the Daily Signal on Monday, insisting there was a path for federal term limits to succeed despite past failures.
DeSantis is one of several Florida Republicans looking at running to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is seeking the presidency instead of a second Senate term in 2016. Other potential Republican candidates include former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., entered the race at the end of March and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., is considering getting in.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
