Gov. DeSantis opens 2024 Legislature by calling Florida the 'envy of the nation'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis detoured briefly from his presidential campaign to return Tuesday to his regular job as governor, opening the 2024 Florida legislative session with a State of the State speech in which he cast himself as a combative conservative warrior still brimming with fresh goals.

As he did a month ago when releasing his state budget recommendation for the new year, DeSantis touched on points clearly aimed at an audience not limited to Florida but also in the early presidential primary states.

"My message is simple: stay the course," DeSantis told a joint session of the Legislature, crowding the House chamber. "The state of our state is strong. Let’s keep doing what works. Let’s continue to make Florida the envy of the nation."

DeSantis was scheduled to appear at a FOX News town hall in Iowa Tuesday night.

In his roughly 35-minute speech to lawmakers, DeSantis mentioned President Biden or his administration in five separate instances, each time negatively and mostly focused on the influx of migrants across the U.S. border with Mexico.

The governor also wrapped up his address with a litany of more than a dozen accomplishments he claimed, from pushing back against COVID-19 "authoritarianism," to having "kneecapped" environmental, social and governance policies, and enacting legislation that "protected the sanctity of human life."

"Let’s see some other state match that list of achievements," DeSantis crowed.

Tornados coursing through North Florida earlier led the governor to activate the Florida State Guard to deal with emergencies while schools and local and state government offices in Leon County were closed Tuesday — except for the Capitol.

The turbulent weather had its effect on action within the 22-story Capitol.

"Our business goes on, rain or shine," House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said at one point, when tornado warnings blared through the Capitol on people's smartphones during his opening remarks to lawmakers.

DeSantis talks up state finances as well

Still, working to draw a clear contrast with Washington, the governor talked up Florida’s solid financial footing, where he is proposing $1.1 billion in tax cuts while tucking away $16.3 billion in reserves. The balanced $114.4 billion spending plan he is proposing for next year is $4.6 billion smaller than this year’s.

"2024 is going to be a banner year for the free state of Florida," DeSantis said.

But the Iowa caucuses next Monday could prove make-or-break for the governor’s White House hopes.

Anything less than a second-place finish, behind the runaway leader, former President Donald Trump, is seen as likely ending DeSantis’ campaign. The governor opened his run for the Republican presidential nomination in May, just weeks after the end of last year’s session.

It's a different DeSantis now.

While the governor began his campaign backed by robust financing and national buzz, he now is limping toward an unexpected early exit, far eclipsed by Trump who is shaping up as the almost certain GOP nominee.

Many Democrats gave DeSantis and his speech a collective eye-roll. "He has to have talking points to run for president," said Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando.

Even so, the governor managed to regain some swagger Tuesday back in the state Capitol where he delivered his State of the State before the House and Senate, with 93 Republicans still nominally endorsing him.

"Here in the Sunshine State, we have delivered good government that protects liberty and maintains order," DeSantis said.

"We have won the unprecedented backing of a populace reflective of our country at large," he added. "And we have put forth a blueprint for America’s revival that has instilled hope into the hearts of millions that a new birth of freedom can emanate from this land once more."

Democrats, though, said DeSantis tough-edged policies have hurt many Florida communities, particularly those living on the economic edge. They said the state has grown more unaffordable to many residents while divisive social policies are the focus of ruling Republicans in Tallahassee

"He's done all this on the backs of the people of Florida," said Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg.

Governor and GOP supermajorities still united on Florida priorities, including abortion ban

GOP supermajorities in the 40-member Senate and 120-member House have been allied with the governor, easily embracing his agenda.

Lawmakers have joined DeSantis in attacking LGBTQ rights, diversity in schools and the workplace, enacting one of the nation’s toughest abortion limits, and new congressional district boundaries challenged in courts as discriminatory against Black voters.

On the eve of the session's opening, Rep. David Borrero, R-Miami, filed legislation (HB 1519) that amounts to a virtual ban on abortion in Florida. It wasn't immediately clear whether the measure has a chance of advancing this year.

But the House did open the session with its own swipe at Washington, a frequent DeSantis target.

In a purely symbolic move, resolutions calling for a national constitutional convention to approve a balanced federal budget and congressional term limits were approved by the GOP supermajority, part of an effort being pushed in many Republican-led states by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Spanning two hours of debate, the two measures were each approved in mostly party-line votes, 80-33.

Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, individually opened their chambers with speeches aimed at setting some mileposts for the two-month session ahead. Passidomo highlighted her push to expand medical access and the health care workforce, while still keeping Florida one of only 10 states which have not expanded Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act.

"Medicaid expansion is not going to happen," she told senators. "If you cannot actually schedule an appointment with a health care provider, Medicaid expansion is nothing more than a false government promise," she added.

Renner also laid out part of his agenda, which includes adding new restrictions to a minor's access to social media, particularly online pornography — an approach pushed by conservative organizations across the nation.

Social media crackdown is 'battle we intend to win,' House speaker says

"Call it a culture war if you want, but it is another battle to defend common sense against those who want to obliterate the distinction between adulthood and childhood. It’s a battle we intend to win," Renner told the House.

Democrats, vastly outnumbered in the House and Senate, said opening day themes stand in contrast to the needs of Floridians. Democrats say many voters are tiring of DeSantis’ policies and persistent campaigning.

“Look at what this man has done to our state in the name of his ambition to seek the Republican nomination for president,” said House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa. “He has effectively run our state into the ground. So, yes, we do critique the Republican governing philosophy all the time.”

Driskell and Senate Democratic leaders, in previewing the session Monday, said that DeSantis and ruling Republicans have failed to get a handle on skyrocketing property insurance plaguing Floridians, with few ideas in play this year.

DeSantis proposes shrinking state budget DeSantis debuts Florida budget for next year; touts themes from presidential campaign

Last year, a push further right DeSantis opens 2023 Florida legislative session saying 'you ain't seen nothing yet'

Democrats said Republican leaders have also fallen short of meeting the need for affordable housing and, while Passidomo, is proposing an ambitious “LIve Healthy” package of bills intended to improve health care, Florida remains among only 10 states which continue to refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

“Senate Democrats have continued to talk about the things that are important for Floridians,” said Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book of Plantation. “And I think Republicans are continuing to do what they want to do and march to the beat of a guy who’s running for president.”

James Call of the Capital Bureau contributed to this report. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @JKennedyReport

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis delivers 'State of the State' speech to open 2024 session