Ron DeSantis is challenging Donald Trump and in Florida is preparing to ‘destroy’ his godfather. DeSantis is liked by many in and outside Republican political circles. His political rise began thanks to US cultural battles that made him a man of the people who knows how to speak to people’s bellies.
Let’s find out who is the one who could become the next president of the United States of America.
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The political rise of Ron DeSantis: who is Donald Trump’s rival
Ron DeSantis, born in 1978, turned 44 on 14 September. Father of Madison, Mamie and Mason and husband, since 2010, of former TV host Jill Casey Black. His re-election had never been questioned by the Republicans. This, despite the fact that in 2018 he won in Florida by the skin of his teeth.
A handful of extra votes resulted in DeSantis becoming governor, but everything has changed since then. Many have wondered how it is possible that a politician who did not enjoy broad support is now among the candidates for the White House.
The themes dear to Ron DeSantis
His rhetoric is almost entirely populist and focused on US culture, as already mentioned. DeSantis has openly spoken out against the American left, accusing it of promoting the wrong models of immigration, gender ideology and first and foremost the questionable Covid pandemic management.
Thanks to the pandemic, Ron DeSantis found fertile ground to cultivate his political ascendancy. This, by becoming the defender of a section of the population that may not have feared the infamous virus or that raged against restrictions.
In Florida, DeSantis fought to reopen schools during periods of hard lockdown and eliminate masks in institutions.
Also on schools, DeSantis passed two pieces of legislation: the ‘Stop Woke Act’ and the ‘Don’t Say Gay’. The first law restricted race-related topics from being taught in schools and allowed parents to sue schools and teachers in the event of violations.
The second law, very dear to ultra-conservatives, banned talking about sexual orientation and gender identity in primary schools and restricted its discussion in high school.
DeSantis Vs Trump
His speeches do not stray too far from the Republican position, if not outright Trumpian. Donald Trump indeed calls himself the political godfather of Ron DeSantis. But as the pupil has now surpassed the master, what was once his godson has now become his arch-enemy.
The former president of the United States of America will challenge him in Florida for the 2024 presidential race, and he is furious because a portion of the party’s influential voters have already declared that they will vote for DeSantis.
Perhaps the Republican leadership wants to distance itself from Trump given his experience in the White House and his judicial measures by going all-in with DeSantis.