Ron DeSantis.Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is continuing to downplay speculation he’s preparing a 2024 presidential run, saying in a new interview that he is “not considering anything beyond doing my job.”
The 43-year-old Republican toldFox Newshost Sean Hannity on Wednesday that he would be running for reelection in 2022, in what is sure to be a closely watched battleground race against his Democratic opponent.
DeSantis previously called critical race theory a move to “indoctrinate [students] with ideology.” He told Hannity this week: “I want to make sure people are not supporting critical race theory, making sure that parents have the ability to send their kid to school the way they want to.”
He said 2024 was not on his radar.
“I just do my job and we work hard … I hear all this stuff and honestly it’s nonsense,” he told reporters on Sept. 7,per Fox News.
None of that is likely to dispel the discussion, however.
Despitea divided opinionon his handling of COVID-19, DeSantis is popular with the conservative base and often governs in a similar style toDonald Trump, the party’s standard-bearer.
On Sept. 12, he appeared alongside former Vice PresidentMike Pence(another rumored presidential contender) at an agricultural event held in Nebraska City.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty
The Republican governor, who narrowly won his 2018 election, is not without controversy.
Though DeSantis touted his decision last year not to impose widespread restrictions to — he said — protect the economy, he has faced much scrutiny for his handling of the pandemic, particularly over a spike in infections due to the delta variant, which drove tens of thousands of deaths since the summer.
Still, DeSantis opposed mandating public health measures in the state. He has said he wouldnot declare a state of emergencyover the virus and attempted to block local leaders' authority to issue mask mandates in municipalities throughout the state.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told CNN in an August interview he and other Florida mayors were trying to “get around the governor’s very wrong-headed desires.”
“He should be screaming for people to get vaccinated, he should be urging them to wear masks,” Gelber told CNN. “He creates a false choice that if you wear a mask it’s going to shutter the economy. Of course that’s not true. It feels like he’s doing everything he can to make it harder.”
In July, DeSantisissued an orderbarring local school districts from requiring students to wear masks, despite federal recommendationsthat all studentsin kindergarten through 12th grade wear face coverings when they return to the classroom in the fall.
DeSantis hasalso fought cruise ship companiesthat sought to require their passengers be vaccinated against the virus.
A fundraising group affiliated with DeSantis also released a line of merchandise that takes aim at masks and White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci, such as a $12 “Don’t Fauci My Florida” koozie.
source: people.com
