Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, is a rising star in the Republican Party and a potential contender for the 2024 presidential election. However, his recent media attention has shed light on his controversial policies and statements, leading to scrutiny from national observers.
DeSantis’s political career began in 2012 when he ran for Congress with the backing of the Tea Party movement. He co-founded the House Freedom Caucus and focused on fiscal restraint, immigration, and identifying the shortcomings of the modern Republican establishment.[0] DeSantis’s campaign biography book, “The Courage to Be Free,” describes his upbringing in working-class communities in western Pennsylvania and northeast Ohio, which instilled in him values of hard work, faith, and patriotism.[1]
Despite his rising popularity among the Republican base, DeSantis’s recent statements and policies have come under fire. He has been criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including his refusal to impose a statewide mask mandate and his decision to prioritize vaccine distribution to wealthy communities. Additionally, his tough-on-crime rhetoric has been called into question, as Florida’s homicide rate is worse than both New York’s and California’s.[2]
DeSantis has also faced criticism for his claims that population growth in Florida proves America loves him.[2] However, national observers have pointed out that Florida’s population has been booming for 50 years, long before DeSantis took office.[2]
Despite these controversies, DeSantis remains a potential contender for the 2024 presidential election. However, his attempts to out-Trump Trump while alienating mainstream Republicans may leave him on an increasingly small electoral island. His White House campaign, once envisioned as a coronation, is struggling to find its balance as his policies and statements face national scrutiny.[2]
In conclusion, Ron DeSantis’s rising popularity among the Republican base has been overshadowed by controversial policies and statements that have come under fire from national observers. As he continues to navigate the political landscape, DeSantis must find a way to appeal to both the base and mainstream Republicans if he hopes to secure the presidency in 2024.
0. “With contempt for ‘corporatists,’ DeSantis pitches GOP voters on the power of the state” msnNOW, 27 Mar. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/with-contempt-for-corporatists-desantis-pitches-gop-voters-on-the-power-of-the-state/ar-AA197rjv?li=BB141NW3
1. “Ron DeSantis book distances governor from Florida | Mark Lane” Daytona Beach News-Journal, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/03/25/ron-desantis-book-claims-midwest-virtues-not-florida-man/70040616007/
2. “Commentary: Can DeSantis go too far? Not for Florida. Maybe for America” Press Herald, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.pressherald.com/2023/03/25/commentary-can-desantis-go-too-far-not-for-florida-maybe-for-america/
