The political platform of Gov. Ron DeSantis is pretty much set. His inaugural speech this past week hit all the salient talking points that a conservative governor proud of his first-term accomplishments and eager to do more would make. Like his November re-election victory speech, it promoted “the free state of Florida” as a model for America.
He spoke of family-friendly policies, holding local officials accountable, prioritizing law and order, parental rights and tax relief, rejecting “WOKE” ideology and, of course, opposing the federal government’s approach to treating COVID and spending tax revenue. He highlighted these points made without reminders of the jarring details of the policies’ enactment. Still to come, decisions on abortion and guns that will most likely result in further restrictions on the former and fewer limitations on the latter.
All that may play well in Florida, which gave Gov. DeSantis an overwhelming victory over his Democratic opponent, former Gov. and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist. But now we’ll see how well the Governor’s agenda will play across America, especially outside of the far-right base of GOP supporters. The Post Editorial Board has called on the Governor to politically pivot. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we’re advising him to consider that again.
Editorial: Political pivot needed as DeSantis seeks bigger stage
Tougher abortion restrictions, threatening state colleges and universities for teaching diversity and inclusion, and allowing gun owners to carry weapons without permits or required training, all of which polling shows won’t cut it. Between now and his expected announcement for higher office, Gov. DeSantis can show his willingness to address problems without relying on bluster, red-meat rhetoric or trickle-down economics. It may be a stretch for a Governor who’s spent much of his first term trying to out-Trump the former president. But, if he wants to be a viable candidate for president, he’d better prepare himself to make a change and show some signs of moderation.
“If Gov. DeSantis isn’t paying attention to the fact that voters outside Florida want to see elected officials come together and actually govern, then maybe he should stay put in Tallahassee.”
The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board
If we can’t convince Gov. DeSantis − who every day appears more like a candidate for the Republican nomination for president than a second-term governor − that a majority of Americans want more than cultural-war antics, then maybe recent political trends may sway him.
Let’s start with the 2020 elections. The Republican Party, led by then President Donald Trump, completed a four-year trifecta and lost the White House. Republicans were supposed to do better in the 2022 midterms. It didn’t happen. Democrats gained a number of governorships and an outright majority in the Senate. They held the anticipated “red wave” in the House to a trickle, while the Republican majority has shown its inability to choose a Speaker, much less instill confidence they can lead a nation.
The bottom line is that the cultural war antics and red-meat rhetoric bereft of any plan to address serious problems in what remains a divided government isn’t playing well with Americans. If Gov. DeSantis isn’t paying attention to the fact that voters outside of Florida want to see their elected officials come together and actually govern, then maybe he should stay put in Tallahassee.
Gov. DeSantis could use his second term to show he’s more than meets the eye. He already has moved to ensure ongoing efforts to restore the Florida Everglades continue. He can build on his environmental bona-fides by doing more to protect Florida’s springs and making sure the Florida Department of Environmental Protection − an agency the Governor clearly controls − does more to go after polluters and firms that exploit state water resources.
Editorial: Hurricanes Ian, Nicole are warning for Florida to take climate change impacts more seriously
The Governor could also push for Medicaid expansion. Florida is one of only 11 states that hasn’t accepted the federal government’s offer for an increase in aid to bolster the federal-state healthcare program for the poor, elderly and disabled. The refusal by Florida leaders to expand Medicaid is costing the state $6.6 billion a year, according to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute data. Officials in other conservative states decided not to leave taxpayer dollars on the table. Why should our Governor remain an intractable holdout?
Gov. DeSantis has not changed course, as he continues to down the road of base politics. At some point, he will have to. His political future depends on it.
