Ron DeSantis is the current governor of Florida. In that role, DeSantis' profile quickly grew on a national level. In some cases, his policies would garner fervent backers. But DeSantis has also enacted policies that have drawn scorn from many in the public.
Some have labeled several of DeSantis' social policies as being oppressive and intrusive. Social policies have also impacted and blended into economic and education policies. But whether one supports or is adamantly opposed to DeSantis, he's become a household name in the United States. And as a result, the focus of Presidential speculation.
Those questions may be on the verge of finally being answered.
Making final preparations for an official campaign launch
Ron DeSantis is reportedly soon to be an official candidate for the 2024 Republican U.S. Presidential nomination. According to Reuters and Nasdaq, he is expected to file official candidacy paperwork on May 25th. Followed by some public events on May 29th.
At least at one point, polling had indicated that DeSantis was the heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination. Those tides have decidedly turned in more recent days. Multiple reasons have been cited for this. Including DeSantis' earlier alluded to policies and a bungled answer to a question about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
But perhaps most of all, the presence of ex-President Donald Trump in the race. Trump and DeSantis are each considered among the far-right wing of the Republican party's darlings. Both would almost certainly be trying to appeal to the same pool of voters. The two had previously been close allies but have predictably since become bitter rivals.
Some have questioned why DeSantis was waiting so long to enter the Presidential campaign formally. It had long been an open secret that he wanted to make a go of it. Furthermore, he's been traveling to various states on something of an 'unofficial' campaign tour. Part of the reasoning might be state law in Florida. Until recently, DeSantis would not have been able to continue as governor while being an official candidate for President.
DeSantis was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012 from the 6th District of Florida. He was re-elected in 2014 and 2016. Also in 2016, DeSantis was a candidate for that year's Republican nomination in the United States Senate race. He withdrew from the race when incumbent Republican Marco Rubio reversed course and opted to run for re-election.
DeSantis was narrowly elected governor in 2018. He was re-elected in 2022 by a much wider margin.
He is a former baseball player and United States Navy officer
Ron DeSantis is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He and his family later resided in Dunedin, near Tampa. As a child, DeSantis was a baseball team member that reached the Little League World Series in 1991.
He would graduate from Yale University, where he eventually was captain of the baseball team. After teaching and coaching baseball at Darlington School in Rome in western Georgia, he graduated from Harvard Law School.
Along the way, DeSantis entered the U.S. Navy. He would later be deployed to serve in the Iraq War. His career also included assignments with Naval Station Mayport, Joint Task Force Guantánamo, and the Naval Special Warfare Command.
DeSantis retired from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant commander. His military decorations included the Bronze Star Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
In 2009, DeSantis married Casey Black. Now Casey DeSantis, she has been a television personality on the Golf Channel and CNN. She has also appeared on multiple local stations in Jacksonville, receiving a regional Emmy Award. The couple have three children.
