Is Governor Ron DeSantis a Democrat or Republican?
NOT long after he was elected governor of Florida for a second term, Ron DeSantis tossed his hat in the ring.
The politician formally announced his 2024 presidential candidacy on May 24, 2023, during a discussion with Tesla CEO .
What is Ron DeSantis' political affiliation?
Gov Ron DeSantis ran for the position as a Republican in the 2018 election.
He has been an avid supporter of former President Donald Trump and stood alongside him as he claimed the 2020 election had been "stolen" from him.
Since taking up the Florida governor position, DeSantis has been busy pushing his political agenda including restricting educators from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in schools, opposing mask mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic, and forcing the Special Olympics to reverse its Covid-19 vaccine mandate.
When the Capitol riots broke out on January 6, 2021, DeSantis initially issued a statement, saying: “Violence or rioting of any kind is unacceptable, and the perpetrators must face the full weight of the law.”
The following day, DeSantis said at a briefing: “It was totally unacceptable and those folks need to be held accountable.
“It doesn’t matter what banner you’re flying under — the violence is wrong, the rioting and disorder is wrong.”
However, on the one-year anniversary of the January 6 riots, DeSantis changed his narrative, saying it was "Christmas" for Democrats.
During a news conference, DeSantis said: "You're going to see the DC, New York media. I mean, this is their Christmas, January 6, okay?
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"They are going to take this and milk this for anything they could to try to be able to smear anyone who ever supported Donald Trump."
Is Ron DeSantis running for President?
DeSantis has formally announced his bid for the Presidential election in 2024, following long-term speculation that he would run against Donald Trump.
His platform is spreading, garnering support from far-right Conservatives who see his policies as a path to the future.
Prior to tossing his hat in the ring, DeSantis was leading in some polls for the Presidential election, ahead of Trump.
“[DeSantis is] a Cat 5 hurricane in Florida politics — and in a good way if you are a Republican,” said Anthony Pedicini, a veteran GOP consultant in Florida. “He is a force of nature.”
His decision not to request an endorsement from Trump as he runs for re-election for governor was believed to be a result of his bid against the former president.
Trump is reportedly displeased that DeSantis considered running against him, reported.
One source told The Times: "There has been some light shining on Ron DeSantis, which angers Trump.
"The team wants to try and scare DeSantis by securing as much Republican support for Trump as possible."
In September 2021, speaking about a potential presidential run, DeSantis told reporters: "I just do my job and we work hard … I hear all this stuff and honestly it's nonsense."
How would Ron DeSantis' gubernatorial re-election help him in the Presidential election?
While promoting his re-election campaign for Florida governor, DeSantis went on a five-day trip to campaign for Trump-endorsed candidates.
The states he visited - Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Pennsylvania - are key swing states that would influence the next election for president.
DeSantis previously spoke at Unite and Win rallies across the swing states and Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Turning Point Action, told : "DeSantis is] a wildly popular political figure and I think he can really make a difference for some of these candidates."
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Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University, told the outlet: "These are the kinds of things that people do when they're trying to build a more national profile in preparation for considering races that have national import."
However, he added: "It's also the kind of thing you sometimes see candidates do in support of other candidates that they like," he added.