Most powerful and feared governor in the history of Florida

AsF lorida Governor, Ron DeSantis has wielded power through influencing legislation, punishing his critics and packing the state’s courts, offices and boards with allies. Some political observers say he is the most powerful and feared governor in the state’s history. Here are some facts about his life and political career.

A LIFE IN PUBLIC SECTOR

DeSantis, 44, has spent most of his career in public service and government. While at Harvard Law School, he was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy and upon graduation, joined the Judge Advocate General Corps as an attorney. He was assigned to the military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he oversaw the treatment of detainees. Later, he was deployed to Iraq to advise a team of Navy SEALs.

DeSantis worked briefly as an assistant US attorney in Florida before a successful bid for a US congressional seat in 2012. He served in Congress until running for governor in 2018.

CONNECTION TO TRUMP

DeSantis was largely a political unknown statewide in Florida when he sought the governor’s office until he got a n endorsement from thenPresident Trump, whom he praised on the campaign trail and in TV ads. DeSantis ultimately won the election by a tight margin.

Trump has since taken credit for DeSantis’ victory and accused his fellow Republican of being disloyal for considering challenging him for the presidential nomination.

STRONG EXECUTIVE

That narrow victory in Florida did not convince DeSantis that he should govern by consensus.

As he has detailed in recent speeches, he believed he had a mandate to take full advantage of the powers afforded the governor, saying he wanted to take all the meat off the bone.”

COVID AND CULTURE WARRIOR

DeSantis made his name nationally by opposing many of the policies advocated by the US government to prevent the spread of Covif-19. He resisted mask and vaccine mandates, and was determined to keep Florida businesses and tourism destinations open during the bulk of the pandemic.

He has since become a leading figure within the Republican Party in fighting back against what he argues are overly progressive polices favoured by educators and corporations.

OPPONENT OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY

He has pushed the state legislature to pass prohibitions against the teaching of Critical Race Theory, which argues the nation is riven with systemic racism, and concepts of gender identity in public schools. Lawmakers also recently passed a ban on asset managers utilising environmental, social and governance factors in making investments.

DeSantis is a persistent critic of federal immigration policies. In 2022, he was praised by conservatives and condemned by Democrats when he chartered two planes to fly Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Massachusetts.

LOVE OF BASEBALL

DeSantis is married to Casey Black, whom he met when she was a TV reporter. The couple has three children.

As a young man growing up in Florida, DeSantis’ life was consumed by baseball. His boyhood team in Dunedin, a suburb of Tampa, reached the Little League World Series in 1991. He pitched and played third base. In one game during the series, he hit a homer and struck out 11 batters. DeSantis served as captain of the varsity baseball team as an undergraduate at Yale University. His Yale jersey hangs in his office in Florida’s Capitol.

DeSantis resisted mask and vaccine mandates during the pandemic, and was determined to keep Florida businesses and tourism open.