“Ron DeSantis has always morphed himself to the political moment. He’s poised to do that again as he uses this inauguration to catapult himself into the presidential campaign,” said Anders Croy, communications director of Florida Watch, a liberal nonprofit.
Croy noted that DeSantis decried “tribalism” in politics in his 2019 speech but went on to push divisive policies as the chatter about a possible presidential campaign intensified. He believes his second term will be defined by his broader ambitions.
“When he first ran for governor, he ran as a disciple of President Trump,” Croy added. “Right now, he is trying to get to the right of the former president as he positions himself for higher office.”