Ron DeSantis is an American politician and former military officer who serves as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, DeSantis is a leading figure in the conservative movement and an ally of former President Donald Trump. He has been praised by his supporters for his pro-business, pro-gun, and anti-lockdown policies, but criticized by his opponents for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, his stance on voting rights, and his involvement in various controversies.


Quick Facts

  • Full Name: Ronald Dion DeSantis
  • Known As: Ron DeSantis
  • Nickname: None
  • Father: Ronald DeSantis Sr.
  • Mother: Karen Rogers
  • Siblings: Christina DeSantis (sister)
  • Wife: Casey Black DeSantis
  • Mistress: None
  • Daughter: Madison DeSantis
  • Son: Mason DeSantis
  • Age (Present): 44 years old
  • Height: 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm)
  • Weight: 180 lbs (82 kg)
  • Salary: $130,273 per year (as of 2020)
  • Net Worth: $291,449 (as of 2018)
  • Date of Birth: September 14, 1978
  • Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
  • Date of Death: N/A
  • Death Place: N/A
  • Cause of Death: N/A
  • Remains: N/A
  • Gender: Male
  • Zodiac Sign: Virgo
  • Religion: Roman Catholic
  • Race or Ethnicity: White
  • Education: Yale University (BA), Harvard University (JD)
  • Nationality: American
  • Influenced: Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott
  • Major Writings: Dreams From Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama (2011), The Case for Trump (2019)
  • Occupation: Politician, lawyer, author, military officer
  • Social Media:
    • Twitter: @GovRonDeSantis
    • Facebook: @RonDeSantisFlorida
    • Instagram: @flgovrondesantis


Career

Ron DeSantis began his career as a lawyer and a military officer. He joined the United States Navy in 2004 and served as a legal advisor to SEAL Team One. He was deployed to Iraq in 2007 and received several awards for his service. He also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida until 2010.

DeSantis entered politics in 2012 when he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 6th congressional district. He won the Republican primary and the general election with the support of the Tea Party movement. He was reelected in 2014 and 2016. During his tenure, he became a founding member of the Freedom Caucus and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. He also opposed the Affordable Care Act, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Mueller investigation.

In 2018, DeSantis ran for governor of Florida with Trump’s endorsement. He faced Andrew Gillum, the Democratic mayor of Tallahassee, in a close and contentious race. He ultimately won by a margin of 0.4%, becoming the youngest governor in Florida history.

As governor, DeSantis has pursued a conservative agenda on various issues. He has appointed three conservative justices to the Florida Supreme Court, signed bills to ban sanctuary cities, expand school choice, protect gun rights, restrict abortion access, and crack down on rioting. He has also resisted imposing statewide mask mandates, lockdowns, or vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that they infringe on personal freedoms and harm the economy. He has clashed with the Biden administration over immigration, environmental regulations, and voting rights.

DeSantis is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2024. He has maintained high approval ratings among Republicans and has visited several key states to raise his profile and funds. He has also published a book titled The Case for Trump in 2019, which defends Trump’s policies and achievements.


Early Life & Childhood

Ron DeSantis was born on September 14, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Ronald DeSantis Sr., an installer of Nielsen TV-ratings boxes, and Karen Rogers, a nurse. He is of Italian descent through his paternal great-great-grandparents who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. He has a younger sister named Christina.

DeSantis spent most of his childhood in Dunedin, Florida, where he attended public schools. He was a star baseball player from a young age and helped his team qualify for the Little League World Series in 1991. He continued to play baseball at Dunedin High School, where he graduated in 1997 as the class valedictorian.

DeSantis then enrolled at Yale University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history with honors in 2001. He was also the captain of the Yale baseball team and a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He briefly worked as a teacher at a prep school before pursuing a law degree at Harvard University, where he graduated cum laude in 2005.


Military Service

While studying at Harvard Law School, DeSantis joined the U.S. Navy in 2004 and became an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). He served as a legal advisor to SEAL Team One and was deployed to Iraq in 2007 as part of the troop surge. He received several awards for his service, including a Bronze Star Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and an Iraq Campaign Medal.

DeSantis also served at the naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where he was involved in detainee operations. He later served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida until 2010, when he was honorably discharged from active duty. He remained in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 2019 when he retired with the rank of lieutenant commander.


Political Career

Ron DeSantis started his political career in 2012 when he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 6th congressional district. He won the Republican primary and the general election with the support of the Tea Party movement and conservative groups. He was reelected in 2014 and 2016.

In Congress, DeSantis was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative and libertarian lawmakers who often opposed the Republican leadership on fiscal and social issues. He was also a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and his policies, especially on immigration, trade, and foreign affairs. He frequently criticized the Affordable Care Act, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In 2016, DeSantis briefly ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, who was running for president. However, he dropped out of the race when Rubio decided to seek reelection. DeSantis then focused on his congressional duties and his reelection campaign.

In 2018, DeSantis announced his candidacy for governor of Florida, with Trump’s endorsement. He faced Andrew Gillum, the Democratic mayor of Tallahassee, in a close and contentious race that attracted national attention. DeSantis ultimately won by a margin of 0.4%, becoming the youngest governor in Florida history.

As governor, DeSantis has pursued a conservative agenda on various issues. He has appointed three conservative justices to the Florida Supreme Court, signed bills to ban sanctuary cities, expand school choice, protect gun rights, restrict abortion access, and crack down on rioting. He has also resisted imposing statewide mask mandates, lockdowns, or vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that they infringe on personal freedoms and harm the economy. He has clashed with the Biden administration over immigration, environmental regulations, and voting rights.

DeSantis is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2024. He has maintained high approval ratings among Republicans and has visited several key states to raise his profile and funds. He has also published a book titled The Case for Trump in 2019, which defends Trump’s policies and achievements.


Personal Life & Family

Ron DeSantis is married to Casey Black DeSantis, a former TV host, and journalist who has worked for WJXT and the Golf Channel. They met while DeSantis was serving as a U.S. attorney in Jacksonville and Casey was covering local news. They got married in 2010 and have three children: Madison, Mason, and Mamie.

DeSantis and his family are Roman Catholics and attend church regularly. They live in the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee, Florida. DeSantis is also an avid reader and writer, who has authored two books on American politics and history.

DeSantis has faced several controversies and scandals during his political career. He has been accused of racism, sexism, corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power by his critics and opponents. He has also been involved in lawsuits, investigations, and ethics complaints over his campaign finances, travel expenses, public records, and COVID-19 data.

DeSantis has also faced personal challenges and tragedies. In 2019, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his left eye. In 2020, he lost his maternal grandmother to COVID-19. In 2021, he revealed that his wife Casey had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatment.


Legacy and Achievements

Ron DeSantis has been recognized as one of the most influential and successful governors in the nation. He has been praised by his supporters for his pro-business, pro-gun, and anti-lockdown policies, as well as his efforts to protect the environment, reform education, and combat human trafficking. He has also been credited for leading Florida’s recovery from several hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

DeSantis has received numerous awards and honors for his leadership and service. He has been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine in 2021, one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Washington by GQ magazine in 2018, and one of the 40 Under 40 Rising Stars by Fortune magazine in 2016. He has also received the Defender of Freedom Award from FreedomWorks in 2016, the Taxpayers’ Friend Award from the National Taxpayers Union in 2015, and the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

DeSantis has also made history as the youngest governor in Florida history and the first governor of Italian descent. He has also been widely speculated as a potential presidential candidate in 2024, with polls showing him as a frontrunner among Republicans and a strong challenger to President Joe Biden. DeSantis has not confirmed or denied his presidential ambitions but has said that he is focused on his current role as governor.


Some Unknown Information


  • DeSantis is a baseball fan and a supporter of the Tampa Bay Rays. He once threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Rays game in 2019.
  • DeSantis is an avid reader and writer, who has authored two books on American politics and history. His first book, Dreams From Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama, was published in 2011 and criticized President Barack Obama’s policies. His second book, The Case for Trump, was published in 2019 and defended President Donald Trump’s policies and achievements.
  • DeSantis is a descendant of Italian immigrants who came to the U.S. in the early 1900s. His paternal great-great-grandparents were Antonio and Maria DeSantis, who settled in Pennsylvania. His maternal great-grandfather was Antonio Rogers, whose original surname was Ruggiero, who settled in New York.
  • DeSantis is a Roman Catholic and attends church regularly. He was baptized at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville and confirmed at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin. He married his wife Casey at Disney World’s Wedding Pavilion in 2010.
  • DeSantis has faced several health challenges and tragedies in his life. In 2019, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his left eye. In 2020, he lost his maternal grandmother to COVID-19. In 2021, he revealed that his wife Casey had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatment.