Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis
Official portrait, c. 2023
46th Governor of Florida
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2019
Lieutenant	Jeanette Nuñez
Preceded by	Rick Scott
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th district
In office January 3, 2013 – September 10, 2018
Preceded by	Cliff Stearns (redistricting)
Succeeded by	Michael Waltz
Personal details
Born	Ronald Dion DeSantis (1978-09-14) September 14, 1978 (age 46) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Casey Black ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	3
Residence	Governor's Mansion
Education	Yale University (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Lawyer
Signature
Website	Official website
Military service
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	2004–2010 (active) 2010–2019 (reserve)[1]
Rank	Lieutenant commander
Unit	Judge Advocate General's Corps United States Navy Reserve
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Bronze Star Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal

Ronald Dion DeSantis (born September 14, 1978) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019.^[2] As a member of the Republican Party, DeSantis served as a congressman from Florida's 6th congressional district from 2013 to 2018.^[3][4][5] He was a candidate for president of the United States in the 2024 election.

Ronald Dion DeSantis was born on September 14, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida to Karen Rogers DeSantis and Ronald D. DeSantis Sr.

During his childhood, DeSantis lived in Orlando for a short time before moving to Dunedin, Florida. At six years old, he had a sister named Christina DeSantis who was born in 1985.

He was a member of the Little League team for 1991 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

He attended schools and universities such as, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, Dunedin High School, Yale University, and Harvard Law School. DeSantis also was Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

DeSantis volunteered and joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Judge Advocates Generals Corps for the Naval Station Mayport and also worked for the Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, Guantanamo Bay Joint Detention Facility, and Naval Special Warfare Command as a military lieutenant.^[6]

He was deployed to the Iraq War along with other colleague troops in 2007 and later returned to the United States in 2008. DeSantis served as a naval and military officer from 2004 until his honorable discharge in February 2010.^[7]

During his military career, DeSantis was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

DeSantis previously served as a congressman for Florida's 6th congressional district and he was the chairman of ten different committee agenda assignments for the 114th United States Congress.

DeSantis served as a congressman for the state's congressional district for five years from 2013 until he resigned in September 2018.^[8]

In January 2018, He officially announced his candidacy for governor to succeed term-limited governor Rick Scott and had chosen Florida congresswoman Jeanette Nuñez^[9]as his running mate for lieutenant governor. In August 2018, DeSantis won the republican primary in the general election.

In November 2018, DeSantis defeated Tallahassee mayor and democratic candidate Andrew Gillum in the gubernatorial race.^[10] He was officially sworn in as the 46th governor of Florida on January 8, 2019.^{[11][12][13] [14][15]}

As governor, DeSantis did not support taking many of the measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, such as face-mask mandates, stay-at-home orders, and vaccination requirements. In May 2021, DeSantis signed into law a bill that banned businesses, schools, cruise ships, and government entities from requiring proof of vaccination. He passed the controversial Parental Rights in Education Act, with opponents labeling it as the Don't Say Gay Bill, which banned schools from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity, specifically with elementary aged children. As a result, the The Walt Disney Company had criticized DeSantis and the two have been in a political, legal and business feud.^[16][17]

In November 2021, DeSantis launched his reelection campaign to a second term as governor.^[18][19][20]

On November 8, 2022, he defeated former Florida governor and Democratic candidate Charlie Crist to a second term as governor with Jeanette Nuñez as his running mate in the 2022 election.^{[21][22][23][24][25][26]}

Before he announced his candidacy many people speculated that Ron DeSantis would run for President of the United States in the 2024 election, although he initially denied any intention of doing so.^[27]

After the 2022 midterm elections, when DeSantis was reelected governor by almost 20 percentage points, some thought it might increase his chances of running for president because the candidates that DeSantis supported won their elections whereas the ones supported by Trump lost.^[28][29] In addition in April 2023 polls showed DeSantis performing better than former President Donald Trump in battleground states.^[30][31]

On May 18, 2023 it was then reported that DeSantis would announce his presidential campaign the following week.^[32] He officially announced his candidacy on May 24.^[33]

After coming in a distant second place finish in the Iowa caucuses, DeSantis ended his campaign on January 21, 2024 and endorsed former President Donald Trump.^[34]

DeSantis had met Casey Black at Naval Station Mayport when he was a naval officer and they got married in September 2009, at Disney World. They have three children together, two daughters named Madison and Mamie DeSantis, and a son named Mason DeSantis.^[35]

DeSantis had a younger sister named Christina Marie DeSantis, but she died in May 2015 at the age of 30 in London, United Kingdom.^[36][37]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Ron DeSantis

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ron DeSantis.

• Official Florida Governor website
• Campaign website
• Ron DeSantis at Curlie
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Vote Smart
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Ron DeSantis at Ballotpedia