Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis is an American politician serving as the 46th Governor of Florida, a position he has held since January 2019, following the tenure of Rick Scott. DeSantis was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and grew up in Dunedin, Florida, where he attended Dunedin High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and later received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, institutions that have produced notable figures such as Barack Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Early Life and Education

DeSantis was born to Karen DeSantis and Ronald DeSantis, and his family moved to Orlando, Florida, before settling in Dunedin, Florida. He attended Dunedin High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and played on the school's baseball team, a sport also enjoyed by George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford. DeSantis then enrolled in Yale University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2001, during which time he was also a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, whose notable members include George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush. After serving in the United States Navy as a lieutenant commander in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, DeSantis attended Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor in 2005, an institution that has also been attended by Michelle Obama and Ted Kennedy.

Career

Before entering politics, DeSantis worked as a prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, where he worked under United States Attorney Robert O'Neill. In 2012, DeSantis was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Florida's 6th congressional district, which includes parts of Volusia County and Flagler County, and served on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, alongside other notable representatives such as Elijah Cummings and Darrell Issa. During his time in Congress, DeSantis was a member of the House Freedom Caucus, a group founded by Mark Meadows and Jim Jordan, and was also a co-sponsor of the USA Freedom Act, a bill aimed at reforming the National Security Agency and supported by Edward Snowden and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Governor of Florida

DeSantis was elected as the Governor of Florida in 2018, defeating Andrew Gillum in the general election, and was inaugurated on January 8, 2019, succeeding Rick Scott. As governor, DeSantis has focused on issues such as environmental protection, particularly in the Everglades, and has worked to address the opioid epidemic in Florida, a crisis that has also been addressed by Donald Trump and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DeSantis has also been a strong supporter of Israel, and has signed legislation aimed at combating anti-Semitism in Florida, a cause also supported by AIPAC and the Anti-Defamation League. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis has implemented various measures to slow the spread of the virus, including restrictions on travel and the closure of non-essential businesses, similar to actions taken by Gavin Newsom in California and Andrew Cuomo in New York.

Political Positions

DeSantis has been a strong supporter of conservative policies, including tax cuts and deregulation, and has been endorsed by Donald Trump and other prominent Republican figures such as Mike Pence and Ted Cruz. DeSantis has also been a vocal supporter of gun rights, and has signed legislation aimed at expanding concealed carry laws in Florida, a cause also supported by the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America. On immigration, DeSantis has taken a hardline stance, supporting the construction of a border wall along the United States–Mexico border and opposing sanctuary cities, positions also held by Jeff Sessions and Tom Cotton. DeSantis has also been a strong supporter of veterans' rights, and has signed legislation aimed at supporting veterans in Florida, a cause also supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Elections

DeSantis was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012, defeating Heather Beaven in the general election, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2016, before running for Governor of Florida in 2018, a race that also included Adam Putnam and Gwen Graham. In the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election, DeSantis defeated Andrew Gillum in the general election, winning 49.6% of the vote to Gillum's 49.2%, a margin of victory similar to that of Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election. DeSantis's campaign was supported by Donald Trump and other prominent Republican figures, and he was also endorsed by the National Rifle Association and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. DeSantis is expected to run for re-election in 2022, and has already been endorsed by Donald Trump and other prominent Republican figures, including Mike Pence and Ted Cruz.