Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis (born September 14, 1978, Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.) is a Republican politician who serves as governor of Florida (2019– ) and who is a leading figure in the conservative movement. He previously was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2013–18). DeSantis staged an unsuccessful bid for U.S. president in 2024.

Early life, education, and military service

DeSantis is the eldest of two children born to Karen DeSantis, a nurse, and Ronald Daniel DeSantis, an installer of Nielsen TV-ratings boxes. From a young age, Ron DeSantis was a standout baseball player, earning distinction as both a third baseman and pitcher. In 1991 he helped the Dunedin (Florida) team qualify for the Little League World Series, though they lost in the quarterfinals. DeSantis continued to play baseball when he attended Yale University, where he was captain of the varsity team.

After graduating in 2001 with a history degree, DeSantis briefly worked as a teacher at a prep school before studying law at Harvard University (J.D., 2005). During this time he also joined the U.S. Navy (2004) and became an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. His service included a stint at the naval base in Guantánamo Bay, site of a notable detention facility. DeSantis was also deployed to Iraq, and while there he was a legal adviser to a Navy SEAL commander. His commendations included a Bronze Star for meritorious service. In 2010 DeSantis left active duty but remained in the U.S. Navy Reserves. That year he also married Casey Black, a TV reporter and local news anchor. The couple have three children.

Entrance into politics

DeSantis subsequently worked as a federal prosecutor. In 2011 he published Dreams from Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama, in which he described his brand of conservatism and criticized the policies of Pres. Barack Obama. The following year DeSantis ran for a seat in the House of Representatives and was easily elected to represent District 6 in northeastern Florida. During his tenure, he cofounded (2015) the conservative House Freedom Caucus and became a frequent commentator on Fox News. Backed by the Tea Party, a conservative populist movement, DeSantis announced his bid for the Senate in 2015 but withdrew after incumbent Republican Marco Rubio decided to seek reelection. In 2017 Donald Trump became president, and DeSantis was among his most vocal supporters. That year he supported Trump’s massive tax-reform bill and the unsuccessful effort to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Governor of Florida and 2024 presidential run

After receiving Trump’s backing, DeSantis announced in 2018 that he was running for governor of Florida. Although initially considered an underdog, he overcame a bumpy start to easily win the Republican primary. DeSantis subsequently resigned his House seat to focus on the election. A hard-fought contest, it pitted the conservative DeSantis against Democrat Andrew Gillum, a progressive who was attempting to become the state’s first African American governor. At times the race was marked by controversy as DeSantis and his supporters were accused of racism; DeSantis denied the allegations. Aided by Trump’s support, DeSantis narrowly defeated Gillum, 49.6 percent to 49.2 percent.

DeSantis took office in 2019, and he soon made national news with his controversial policies. Notably, after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, he lifted restrictions much earlier than other governors, though he implemented measures to protect the elderly. While many predicted dire consequences, Florida’s death rate (more than 75,000 people) was within the national average, and the state’s economy fared better than many others. DeSantis also expressed concern over alleged voter fraud, and in 2022 Florida established the Office of Election Crimes and Security. Democrats and voting-rights activists worried the agency would be used to suppress minority voting.

DeSantis also garnered attention for policies that stoked the so-called “culture wars.” In 2022 he oversaw passage of the Parental Rights in Education act that limited discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. Critics nicknamed it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and Disney, one of the state’s largest employers, later issued a statement that was critical of the legislation. DeSantis responded by stripping the company of its self-governing status and tax breaks. While his supporters applauded the move, others noted its legal challenges and the potential negative impact on residents, namely higher taxes. He also supported the Individual Freedom Act (commonly called the Stop WOKE Act), which was designed to “protect Floridians from discrimination and woke indoctrination.” Its provisions included a ban on the teaching of critical race theory. DeSantis proposed other educational reforms and notably targeted programs that he alleged sought to “impose ideological conformity to try to provoke political activism.” In January 2023 he banned Advanced Placement (AP) courses on African American studies, claiming that the content was historically inaccurate and a violation of state law (presumably the Stop WOKE Act); the College Board, which oversees AP content, later amended the curriculum.

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In addition, DeSantis was focused on abortion, and in April 2022 he signed legislation that prohibited the procedure after 15 weeks. Two months later the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and DeSantis subsequently stated that he wanted to “expand pro-life protections.” In September he again made headlines after sending two chartered airplanes carrying undocumented immigrants—who had previously been in Texas—to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. It was part of a growing Republican effort to transport migrants to Democrat-led sanctuary cities, typically without any advance warning. While some questioned the legality of the Florida flights, many conservatives applauded the move.

With these contentious measures, DeSantis was seen as positioning himself for the 2024 presidential election. However, he first faced reelection as governor in 2022. His main opponent was Charlie Crist, a Republican turned Democrat who had formerly served as Florida’s governor (2007–11). DeSantis easily won the November election. He continued to pursue a conservative agenda, and in February 2023 he published The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival. Three months later DeSantis announced that he was running for president.

DeSantis entered the race with incredible momentum, and he was widely expected to be a strong challenger to former President Trump, who was also a candidate. However, DeSantis saw his popularity decline amid campaign missteps and attacks from Trump. In addition, he struggled to connect with voters. Hoping to revive his candidacy, DeSantis focused on the Iowa caucuses, spending heavily on voter-turnout efforts and visiting every county in the state. However, he placed a distant second to Trump. DeSantis subsequently withdrew from the race and endorsed the former president.