Desantis positioned to be architect of new conservative vision

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis positioned himself as the architect of a new conservative vision for the nation during a State of the State address Tuesday in Tallahassee that championed his aggressive stances through the pandemic and culture wars as a blueprint for Republican leadership.

The address came at the outset of a 60-day legislative session that has added political significance because it is expected to serve as a platform for Desantis’ highly expected presidential campaign.

“We defied the experts. We bucked the elites. We ignored the chatter. We did it our way, the Florida way,” Desantis told lawmakers in Tallahassee. “And the result is that we are the No. 1 destination for our fellow Americans who are looking for a better life.”

The Legislature’s Republican supermajority is eager to promote Desantis’ political prospects and is expected to rubber stamp virtually all of his agenda, which is packed with issues ranging from race to immigration to gender that could prove popular in a GOP presidential primary.

Instead of focusing on rising rents and cost of living, a property insurance market that’s in distress and preparing for rising sea levels in a state vulnerable to climate change, Desantis kicked off a session where the GOP will push issues like telling teachers which pronouns they can use for students, making guns more available to Floridians, keeping immigrants that are in the country illegally out of the state, and criminalizing some drag shows.

In his speech, Desantis ran through the conservative accomplishments of his tenure thus far and highlighted upcoming measures that will be popular with some Republican primary voters, such as a proposal to eliminate concealed firearms permits.

In a signal of the Republican policy schedule to come, a GOP lawmaker on Tuesday introduced a bill to ban abortions after six weeks, with Democrats denouncing the move not long after Desantis finished his speech. Desantis previously indicated he would sign such legislation.

Even without an official campaign in place, Desantis is emerging as a leading alternative to former President Donald Trump, a fellow Floridian who has already announced his third White House bid. Desantis’ strength is fueled in part by a nearly 20 percentage point reelection victory last year.

PHIL SEARS/ASSOCIATED PRESS Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, during at State of the State address Tuesday, championed his aggressive stances through the pandemic and culture wars as a blueprint for Republican leadership.