Ahead of DeSantis’ second appointment, many are wondering about 2024

Tallahassee — Ron DeSantis will begin his second term as Florida’s 46th governor on Tuesday, which is seen as the beginning of auditions for the presidency.

DeSantis is determined to take the national stage as the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, but to do so, he will need to take on a new job at a time when his current term has just entered its second four-year term. I need to start a campaign. With his potential political prospects, many are watching how he will use his newly acquired height.

Will he continue to lean into the culture wars agenda, or will he soften what was a militant stance by spreading the message and reviving some of the unifying themes of his first inauguration in 2019? do you want?

Bryan Ballard of Ballard Partners, Co-Chair of Ballard Partners said: The first event was attended by Nick Iarossi of Capital City Consulting, Bill Rubin of Rubin Turnbull & Associates, and Jeff Hartley of Smith, Bryan & Myers. They are he one of the largest lobbying firms in the state capital.

important speech

After the swearing-in ceremony, DeSantis will deliver his first speech to a wide audience since his election night speech declaring Florida to be a “wake up and die” state. For many, it may provide a blueprint for his future.

Kevin Wagner, a political scientist at Florida Atlantic University, said, “Like so many others, I wonder if there are any indications that it will reach a wider national audience, or that the speech will focus more on Florida issues. “If it has a national reach, the speech will be about what kind of campaign Governor DeSantis would run if he were in the presidential primary, and what he would do in the early may give the movement some early clues as to which groups and potential donors to focus on.”

In his question, does he continue his rhetoric against diversity training in business and government? Seeking entitlement reform as Rep. Rick Scott wanted? Will he bring up calls for an investigation into mRNA vaccines?

Is he referring to the war in Ukraine, or is he giving suggestions for tackling inflation and the national economy? Is he talking about balancing the budget and tackling the country’s deficit? is focused on Florida’s most pressing problem: rising costs of insurance, housing and medical care, or will he continue to focus on the past four years?

“People will be looking for clues in the speech about what the future plans are going to be,” Wagner said. “But I don’t think we’ll get many answers.”

four years ago

In his first inaugural address, DeSantis addressed an audience of about 3,000 people for 20 minutes, promising to “overcome the tribalism that has dominated our politics.” He described a “virtuous circle” involving reducing government excesses focused on “low tax rates, a rational regulatory environment, a sensible legal system, and a healthy environment to attract jobs, business and investment.” said to promote And he promoted an agenda that prioritized education and the environment.

But during the re-election campaign of Trump, DeSantis’ former political leader and governor, the pandemic devastated Florida’s tourism-dependent economy. Moving away from the centrist appeal in his first inaugural address, he launched a 30-month strategy to address public dissatisfaction with COVID-19 lockdowns and evolving public health messages about the novel coronavirus.

Covid-19 was the starting point for a new kind of Republican message for DeSantis. This is the acceptance of big government to extend power over institutions hated by the political right.

For example, he uses the executive branch and compliant Congress to ban cruise ships from requiring masks and to require employers to require vaccines and training that promote concepts related to race, gender, or nationality. enacted a law prohibiting it. He also lobbied for withholding public pension investments in companies that use “environmental, social and governance” criteria to encourage economic equality and environmentally sustainable policies.

These and other messages saw DeSantis swell his political stature from four years ago (when he won the election by the narrowest margin in Florida’s history) to winning re-election in November by the widest margin in 40 years. could be expanded to

“Unlike any other governor’s inauguration I’ve attended, I think it’s a continuation of a governor that’s changing the country. It’s rare,” Ballard said. I’m sick of having to give a voice to so many Americans who are fed up with and give in to what the ‘woke’ community says we all have to believe.”

Ballard expects DeSantis to elaborate on these themes and “talk about how Florida became a model for the country.”

Views from the political left

DeSantis Watch spokesperson Anders Croy said: The left-leaning Progress Florida and Florida Watch joint accountability project said it expected DeSantis to use his speech to “move further to the right.”

“We’re going to focus on divisive issues that appeal to far-right voters out of state, rather than issues that actually matter to Floridians,” Croy said.

He predicted that DeSantis’ speech would focus on his “mandatory Iowa checklist.”

“Here in Florida, we have an affordability crisis for housing, an affordability crisis for property insurance, an affordability crisis for health care, and we haven’t heard about them from the governor,” Croy said. “What you hear is red meat that he believes will help voters in New Hampshire and Iowa take the next step up the political ladder.

Hans Hassell, executive director of the Florida State University Institute of Political Science, said DeSantis’ speech was an attempt by Republican officials to question how far they would back DeSantis in the face of a potential primary against former President Donald Trump. He said it would also be a signal for In 2018, he defeated front-runner Adam Putnam in the Republican primary to endorse DeSantis alone.

Hassell said the party is “trying to figure out what needs to be done to win the 2024 presidential election and not perform as poorly as the 2022 midterm elections.” “The party’s elite began shaping the campaign long before voters even started voting, and Governor DeSantis’ actions show that he is a credible candidate and that they are willing to take their ideas into account.” It goes a long way to show that you’re the type to defend.”

In many ways, he said, the governor’s inaugural address is a test on the national stage. to link his current position to a successful Republican nomination. “

Ballard, who has been involved in the inauguration of a former governor.Jeb Bush, Charlie Christ, Rick Scott don’t expect DeSantis to announce his political ambitions on Tuesday However, he considers DeSantis’ profile to be unique.

“Besides Ronald Reagan, I don’t know of any American governor who has managed to get America’s attention like Governor DeSantis,” he said.