How Ron DeSantis Became the GOP’s Dark Horse Candidate

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Ron DeSantis speaks at the 2016 Conservative Political Action Conference (Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikicommons)

Addressing a raucous crowd at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference with a defiant speech that served as a coming-out party for conservatives in the Sunshine state.

DeSantis began by boasting about his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, claiming that “instead of locking people down, Florida lifted people up.” He unveiled a legislative agenda for increased voting restrictions in Florida, alleging “mass mailing of unsolicited ballots” and “ballot harvesting” (presumably by Democrats) while citing baseless claims of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election as a reason to crack down on voting rights. DeSantis then shifted attention to Big Tech, where he laid the groundwork to “combat political censorship and de-platforming.”

“In Florida, we are not going to let the terms of the debate in our country be set by oligarchs in Silicon Valley,” DeSantis said to cheers from the crowd in attendance. “We don’t spout hollow rhetoric. We take action.”

DeSantis’ speech strategically touched on all the major talking points in the conservative discourse, tackling issues of unproven election fraud, claims of social media censorship, and opposition to pandemic lockdowns or any COVID-19 restrictions. It was also a chance for DeSantis to brag about his achievements during his tenure as governor—achievements that have made him one of the most popular conservative politicians in the post-Trump era.

Despite once being a laughing stock among U.S. politicians for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Florida, DeSantis’ political status has only strengthened within his party. His lax restrictions, brash attitude, loyalty to Trump, and commitment to conservative values had even fueled discussions of a potential presidential bid in 2024.

Governor “DeathSantis”

In August 2018, Florida gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ron DeSantis released a bizarre (albeit attention-grabbing) campaign video that playfully embraced his status as a candidate “fully endorsed by President Donald Trump.”

“Everyone knows my husband Ron DeSantis is endorsed by President Trump, but he’s also an amazing dad,” DeSantis’ wife, Casey, said in the ad, which then cuts to the candidate helping his daughter “build a wall” out of toy blocks. He is then seen reading Trump’s book “The Art of the Deal” to his son and using Make America Great Again signs to teach his daughter how to talk.

“People say Ron’s all Trump, but he’s so much more,” Casey continued.

The ad was DeSantis’ tongue-in-cheek way of defending the president while simultaneously embracing his role as Trump’s preferred candidate. Despite being a veteran of the Iraq war and an experienced member of Congress, DeSantis knew that embracing Trumpism would be the key to securing the governor’s office.

DeSantis’ approach would eventually pay off, though not without a few controversies along the way. While on the campaign trail, the congressman was accused of racism for using the phrase “monkey this up” when disparaging opponent Democrat Andrew Gillum, who is Black (Monkey being racist dog whistle) and later mocked fellow congressperson Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by referring to her as “this girl … or whatever she is.” He went on to defeat Gillum in a tight race just a few weeks later on Nov. 20, 2018.