At the beginning of the year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued his State of the State address and declared, “Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the legislature and fellow citizens, together, we have made Florida the freest state in these United States.”
After three years running the Sunshine State, two of which required ongoing responses to the COVID pandemic, DeSantis has become a household name across the nation. He has by no means reacted to the spotlight like some shrinking violet.
In fact, according to a new opinion piece by columnist Joe Concha, the negative coverage and the vitriol from corporate media might just be a boon to the founding member of the House Freedom Caucus.
“You can agree or disagree with DeSantis and the Florida legislation on any of these moves,” Concha said after listing highlights from the Harvard Law Graduate like the Parental Rights in Education bill, banning abortion after 15 weeks and his decision to open the state up following lockdowns earlier than most of his peers.
“What makes the governor popular among his supporters is that he doesn’t appear to give a damn about what the Florida press or the national political media think about how he’s leading the state. He has a plan,” Concha wrote, “and principles that appear to be unwavering.”
BREAKING: everyone in the country is moving to Florida, every damn hotel is full, every damn restaurant slammed. You can't even rent a damn car. Your houses are worth twice what you paid for them..
But the Governor is mean, and doing a horrible job.. I read it in the @SunSentinel— Frog Capital🌐 (@FrogNews) March 26, 2022
Concha focused on a particular exchange between DeSantis and the press from earlier this month where he called out the mischaracterization of the Parental Rights in Education bill and how it perfectly encapsulated the dishonest and misleading practices of media.
RIP to the reporter Ron DeSantis just murdered. pic.twitter.com/vhziZuNz6v
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 7, 2022
“The idea,” the Iraq War veteran said in part about avoiding the true nature of the bill, “that you wouldn’t be honest about that and tell people what it actually says, it’s why people don’t trust people like you because you peddle false narratives. And so we just disabused you of those narratives.”
“Why omit that crucial element of legislation?” Concha asked after demonstrating an NBC News story that never once explained the bill barred sexual instruction to children under the age of seven. “Unless, of course, a narrative is being peddled.”
This unrelenting leadership that led Florida to close out the limited legislative session with successes on numerous fronts, including protecting the rights of parents, shoring up election integrity and providing safety through immigration enforcement and rejection of liberal ideologies like “defund the police,” has DeSantis sitting comfortably in the polls against his two biggest challengers.
If the election had been held this week, DeSantis would have trounced his Democrat opponents Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried by 21 and 23 points respectively, according to University of North Florida poll.
Furthermore, where the majority of national figures remain underwater in their favorability ratings, including President Joe Biden at 39 percent approval in Florida, DeSantis remains in the positive with 54 percent approval despite the negative press.
Today I am once again reminded how lucky I am to work for a leader who says what he means, means what he says, and doesn’t blurt out totally inappropriate, dangerous remarks at an incredibly precarious geopolitical time. Can’t imagine how hard it would be to be Biden’s press sec.
— Christina Pushaw 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) March 26, 2022
The governor seems like a lock for holding office come November, and Concha sees this as a possible “springboard to a 2024 presidential run.”
Noting the 2022 CPAC straw poll, the only person standing in DeSantis’ way of a nomination appears to be former President Donald Trump if he decides to run again. Head to head, Trump remains in favor with 61 to 28 percent of the vote. Without the 45th president represented, DeSantis rolls over the competition with 61 percent for himself compared to 6 percent for his nearest competitors.
“Ron DeSantis is a culture warrior, just as Trump was before him,” Concha concluded. “His positions may be unpopular with Democrats and the press – but if Florida is an indication of sentiment in other swing states, such as Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, this will serve him very well if he becomes 2024 GOP nominee.”
[Governor walks up to shake my hand]
Me: “Keep kicking ass, Governor”@GovRonDeSantis: “Don’t worry, we will”
Great to hear @GovRonDeSantis address his @FloridaGOP Grassroots Team today! pic.twitter.com/6F9mpvoIDU
— Christian Ziegler 🇺🇸 ($4.26 Avg. Gas Price) (@ChrisMZiegler) March 26, 2022
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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