FLORIDA Governor Ron DeSantis has announced he will be running to be the next president of the United States.
He will challenge Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for the 2024 election.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida to Italian-American parents, the 44-year-old entered the race last night through a Twitter announcement plagued by technical glitches.
During his political career, DeSantis has backed the current UK Government on certain policies.
Here’s what you need to know about him.
What has Ron DeSantis said about the Tories?
Much like the UK Government, DeSantis has been accused by critics of waging a “culture war” with some of the legislation he has backed.
For example, Florida recently approved the “don’t say gay” bill which prohibits the discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity at schools across all grade levels.
In April, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch (below) revealed she had DeSantis’s backing after he offered his support for her “war on woke”.
He said: “She (Badenoch) complimented what we are doing in Florida. She committed that it is what they are trying to do in Britain.
“She pointed out, and I think it’s true, that some of the woke has been exported from the United States.
“I commend her and her efforts to make sure that this is not corrupting British society.”
He previously told the Sunday Telegraph that you cannot govern a “successful society if it is being operated by woke ideology”.
Meeting with Foreign Secretary
DeSantis has also met with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in a bid to discuss Florida’s relationship with the United Kingdom.
He said at the time: “The UK has long been a strong partner of the United States. Florida will continue to work with our friends here in the United Kingdom to maintain a strong relationship that benefits the economic interests of both Florida and the United Kingdom.”
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DeSantis’s visit to the UK was part of an overall international trade mission in a bid to boost his foreign policy credentials.
However, Politico previously reported that business chiefs across the UK were left unimpressed with one describing DeSantis as “looking bored” and that he “stared at his feet” as he met with business figures during his trip.
What else does DeSantis believe?
In April, DeSantis signed into law a ban on most abortions after six weeks as he vowed to “defend the dignity of human life and transform Florida into a pro-family state”.
He has also expanded on gun rights and the death penalty.
Throughout the pandemic, he remained staunchly opposed to many Covid measures including lockdowns and mask mandates.
He once described the growing struggle facing states’ hospitals as “media hysteria”.
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