Ron DeSantis, the combative anti-lockdown governor of Florida, is the early joint frontrunner with Donald Trump in the race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

DeSantis (42), has become a US national figure as he lambasted pandemic restrictions and aggressively campaigned to keep schools open in his state. His stance has attracted companies to relocate from New York and California and led to a surging economy, low unemployment and a house price boom.

In betting markets, Trump and DeSantis have been neck and neck for weeks, swapping places in the lead.

This week, the governor moved to suspend all remaining coronavirus restrictions in Florida. He signed a new law giving himself sweeping powers to abolish emergency measures put in place by Democrat-led local authorities, including mask-wearing.

Democrats accused him of “spiking the ball on the 10-yard line”.

DeSantis also signed a controversial voting rights bill live on Fox & Friends — Trump’s favourite Fox News show. It introduces restrictions on voting by post, and at drop boxes, and is virulently opposed by Democrats. Trump recently told Fox News that DeSantis is a “great guy” who had “taken off like a rocket ship”. 

The former president said he would “certainly” consider DeSantis as a running mate if he himself runs in 2024. DeSantis, a Yale and Harvard Law School graduate, began reopening Florida a year ago.

Florida has a large elderly population and is home to The Villages, the largest retirement community in the world, with over 100,000 residents.

Yet the state’s Covid death rate is lower than the US average. Instead of closing schools, DeSantis chose to isolate nursing homes. The death rate remained relatively low, children were saved from online learning, and their parents were able to keep the economy going.

His approval ratings have risen accordingly. Senior Republicans see DeSantis as Trump’s heir apparent.

Trump supporters also back DeSantis, and the governor is less alienating for moderate Republicans and independents.

Like the former president, DeSantis has a confrontational relationship with media. CBS flagship 60 Minutes recently broadcast an investigation into Florida’s vaccine roll-out, suggesting it had been influenced by a $100,000 donation to DeSantis. The suggestion was debunked by Democrat officials in Florida, and served to increase DeSantis’s popularity.

Another report suggested former employees of DeSantis had formed a “support group” and he had a high turnover of staff. Adrian Lukis, his chief of staff, said that was “false and merely designed to manufacture a partisan narrative”.

 

The Sunday Telegraph

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