On Tuesday, Ron DeSantis was sworn in for a second term as governor of Florida, amid his rise as the leading potential alternative to former President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary in 2024.
After being sworn in, DeSantis spoke for about 15 minutes, making no mention of a possible presidential run but positioning his administration as a bulwark against Democratic leadership at the state and federal levels.
“Now it’s often said that our federalist constitutional system with 50 states able to pursue their own unique policies represents a laboratory of democracy,” he said. “Well, these last few years have witnessed a great test of governing philosophies, as many jurisdictions pursued a much different path than we have pursued here in the state of Florida.”
DeSantis promoted his administration’s agenda throughout his first term, touting his handling of the pandemic, education reforms, and law enforcement increases while criticizing Democratic actions on all three fronts and branding his state as the place where “woke goes to die.”
“Florida is proof positive that We the People are not destined for failure,” he stated.
Early polls of the potential Republican presidential field in 2024 — which officially includes only Trump — show DeSantis as his leading rival, with some polls even giving the Florida governor an advantage. Trump has reacted angrily to DeSantis’ rise, publicly disparaging him and promoting polls that show the former president leading. DeSantis has not publicly countered Trump, nor has he publicly expressed interest in running for president.
