He’s big in Florida, he’s had a fight with Disney, and he wants to be president of the United States. If you’re not sure who Ron DeSantis is, here’s a brief introduction.
he is the governor of florida
In the United States, each of the 50 states has a governor, a person who oversees how the state is run. They are elected every four years and have power over things like gun control, access to abortion and whether murderers can receive the death penalty.
where is very popular
The 44-year-old has been involved in Florida politics since 2012. Before that, he was in the US Navy and worked as a prosecutor. In 2018 he became governor of Florida and was re-elected in 2022 with a landslide victory over his opponent.
His fans think he is a political rock star.
Ron DeSantis is a Republican, the more conservative of the two main US political parties, has loosened gun laws and reduced access to abortions. These have been popular with Republican voters in Florida and also gained Mr. DeSantis national attention.
Who’s big on family values?
Mr. DeSantis is married to Casey DeSantis, a former television journalist, they have three children together, and she is often by his side at big campaign events. They got married at Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Florida, in 2009.
But opponents think he is a far-right extremist.
He regularly attacks “wake up ideology” and has crafted policies removing certain books from public schools and limiting some funding for transgender healthcare. Opponents worry that he wants to take the laws he made in Florida and bring them to the rest of the United States.
He wants to be the next US president.
Ron DeSantis’ popularity in Florida and his growing fame elsewhere have inspired him to run for president. Launching his Twitter campaign wasn’t smooth and the live stream set up to announce it didn’t work.
But he will have to beat Donald Trump
American parties can choose who they present as a possible president. Donald Trump is very popular among members of the Republican party, but the general public is thought to be less convinced. Former “Donald” supporter Mr. DeSantis hopes members believe he can get people outside the party, who might not be Trump fans, to vote for him.
And he’s got a battle with Disney to fight
Disney, which draws millions of tourists and employs thousands in Florida, opposed DeSantis’ so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill that limits what teachers can say about LGBT issues in schools. He reacted by trying to remove Disney’s special tax status and take over its board of directors. That didn’t quite work, and Mr. DeSantis’ feud with Mickey Mouse continues.