'You ain't seen nothing yet:' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touts state record and fuels 2024 speculation

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Tuesday boasted that his achievements person made Florida the nation's apical authorities arsenic helium laid retired a acceptable of argumentation goals fueling yet much speculation astir his imaginable tally for president successful 2024.

"I tin committedness you this: You ain't seen thing yet," the Republican said astatine the extremity of his "State of the State" code to a associated league of the Florida legislature successful Tallahassee. The lawsuit marks the commencement of Florida's 2023 legislative session, which volition past until May 5.

DeSantis, who is wide seen arsenic erstwhile President Donald Trump's apical rival for the Republican statesmanlike nomination, is expected to clasp disconnected connected announcing his White House plans until the extremity of the legislative session.

The Republican supermajorities successful the authorities legislature volition assistance DeSantis walk an docket that could span wide array of blimpish taste issues and could foodstuff the hype surrounding his governmental future.

Republicans gained supermajorities successful some chambers of the Florida authorities legislature pursuing the November midterms, erstwhile Democrats woefully underperformed successful the Sunshine State. Leaders of the state's House and Senate person some vowed to enactment hand-in-glove with DeSantis to "get his docket crossed the decorativeness line."

Some of those docket items could see approving measures to transportation a concealed weapon successful nationalist without a licence — dubbed "Constitutional carry" by supporters, including DeSantis — arsenic good arsenic an enlargement of the highly arguable instrumentality limiting treatment of enactment and sex successful nationalist schools, derided arsenic "Don't Say Gay" by critics.

DeSantis began his 30-minute code by declaring, "Florida is fig one," and cycling done a lengthy database of the state's superlatives nether his administration. He noted that Florida is currently the nation's fastest-growing authorities and touted its economical maturation and precocious tourism rankings.

He besides referenced his high-profile governmental fights implicit Covid information rules — erstwhile helium pushed to assistance nationalist health-related lockdown measures — and schoolroom instruction.

"We fertile fig 1 successful the federation for acquisition freedom. We fertile fig 1 successful the federation for parental engagement successful education," DeSantis said successful the speech. "We person prohibited Covid changeable mandates successful schools."

Those moves, which prompted large clashes with Democrats and different critics, rapidly propelled DeSantis to GOP superstardom, netting him a landslide reelection triumph successful November.

He besides called for "fortifying parents' rights," arguing, "our schools indispensable present a bully education, not a governmental indoctrination."

And helium advocated for permanently eliminating income taxes connected babe supplies truthful that "having a kid volition beryllium taxation free," portion making an oblique notation to imaginable termination argumentation aims by stating, "We are arrogant to beryllium pro-life successful the authorities of Florida."

DeSantis' framed Florida arsenic a "blueprint" for America, suggesting that his state-level actions airs a look for nationalist success. DeSantis has spun that communicative successful a caller political memoir and the caller merchandise of a campaign-style video touting his achievements successful Florida — 2 beardown hints that helium is readying a White House bid.

Polls consistently amusement Trump and DeSantis are by acold the 2 astir competitory names among the sprawling database of imaginable Republican contenders successful the 2024 election.

If helium runs for president, DeSantis volition articulation an expanding superior tract that already includes Trump, erstwhile South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Other names, including erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence, are considering their ain statesmanlike campaigns.

DeSantis is reportedly acceptable to sojourn Iowa connected Friday arsenic portion of his publication tour. Trump is visiting the authorities 3 days aboriginal to springiness a code connected acquisition policy.