Ron DeSantis: 14 things to know about Florida's governor

Cheryl McCloud, Tallahassee Democrat
Updated ·5 min read
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is no stranger to controversy, taking on Disney, colleges and the media.

DeSantis announced officially May 24 that he was running for president in 2024. In New Hampshire, the state which holds the first primary, voters are turning toward DeSantis over former President Donald Trump, according to a poll released by the University of New Hampshire in January.

His newly released book, "The Courage to be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival" keeps the theme going. The book was described by the New York Times as a "template for governing based on an expansive vision of executive power."

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What DeSantis seems to be doing in “The Courage to Be Free” is to insist that Americans should just stop worrying and let him do all the thinking for them. Any criticism of his policies gets dismissed as “woke” nonsense cooked up by the “corporate media” and "the bullying sense of superiority is unmistakable," wrote reviewer Jennifer Szalai.

Here are answers to questions people are googling about Florida's 46th governor. Ironically, DeSantis' biography is not available on flgov.com/meet-governor-desantis. A note on the website as of Tuesday morning said the biography is "coming soon."

Where and when was Ron DeSantis born?

Ronald Dion DeSantis was born Sept. 14, 1978, in Jacksonville. He graduated from Dunedin High School in 1997. Dunedin is located west of Tampa, just north of Clearwater.

Who are DeSantis' parents?

A native Floridian with "blue collar roots," DeSantis' mother, Karen DeSantis, worked as a nurse. His father, Ronald Daniel DeSantis, installed Nielsen TV rating boxes.

What ethnicity is Ron DeSantis?

DeSantis is Italian-American. His mother's paternal grandfather, Antonio Rogers/Ruggiero, immigrated from Italy, and his name was changed after entering the U.S. His paternal grandfather was Daniel DeSantis, born in Pennsylvania to Italian parents who immigrated to the United States. All eight great-grandparents were born in Italy.

Did Gov. DeSantis graduate from college?

DeSantis graduated with honors from both Yale University — where he worked his way through school — and Harvard Law School.

What religion is Ron DeSantis?

Roman Catholic.

Who is DeSantis married to?

DeSantis married Casey Black in September 2009. They married at Disney World.

"We never would have thought that how many years later we would be tussling with Disney in a political office. But life can be unpredictable," DeSantis told Insider.

The couple have three children: two daughters, Madison and Mamie, and a son, Mason.

Sports has been part of Ron DeSantis' life from young age

Ron DeSantis was a member of the Little League team from Dunedin National that made it to the 1991 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

He was captain of the varsity baseball team at Yale, playing as an outfielder. As a senior in 2001, he had the team's best batting average at .336.

DeSantis served in the Navy as JAG officer, Guantanamo Bay, SEAL Team adviser

While at Harvard, DeSantis earned a commission in the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps and later stationed at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, working with detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

He also served as legal adviser to SEAL Team One and deployed to Iraq in 2007. He was appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Middle District of Florida until his honorable discharge in 2010.

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

Is Ron DeSantis a Navy SEAL?

No. DeSantis was deployed to Iraq as an adviser to a U.S. Navy SEAL commander in support of the SEAL mission in Fallujah, Ramadi and the rest of Al Anbar province

Gov. Ron DeSantis' political affiliation, career

A Republican, DeSantis was elected to Congress in 2012. He briefly ran for Senate in 2016 but withdrew when Sen. Marco Rubio sought reelection.

DeSantis was first elected governor in 2018 over Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum after machine recount with a 0.4% margin of victory.

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He was re-elected in 2022 with 19.4% margin of victory — the largest in 40 years — over Charlie Crist.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube

DeSantis has several social media accounts, but does not have one on TikTok. That's not surprising. TikTok is among DeSantis’ targets, with the governor proposing to bar access to the suspected China-linked platform through any government-issued devices or networks serving them, including schools, colleges and universities.

'Digital bill of rights': DeSantis targets TikTok while making another run against social media

What is Ron DeSantis' salary and how much is he worth?

DeSantis listed his 2020 net worth at $348,832, an increase of more than $57,000 from the year prior. His gubernatorial salary of $134,181 was the only source of income recorded in the filing.

Fact-check: What was Ron DeSantis' net worth in 2020?

How long is a governor's term in Florida?

Florida's governor serves for four years and can serve for two consecutive terms, if elected.

How do you get in touch with the governor of Florida?

  • Email: go to: flgov.com/email-the-governor/

  • Mailing address: Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399

  • Telephone: 850-488-7146

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Who is Gov. Ron DeSantis? Floridian, 2024 presidential candidate?