OFM_Dept_Govt_Ron_DeSantis_0219_DEPT 1 / 23 / 19 3 : 17 PM Page 1 RNMENT By Brittany Ann GOVEMorrisey THE CHALLENGES AHEAD Just a month into his term as Florida’s top official , Governor RON DESANTIS seeks to make big changes , but how much of a grace period will constituents grant him before they start demanding results ? crisis defined all , before he ran for governor , he represented by toxic blue - green algae spilling out n January , with his left hand on the Bible , Florida’s 6th Congressional District ( which encom - of Lake Okeechobee and red tide flanking the state’s Ron DeSantis swore to support , protect passes parts of Jacksonville , Daytona and New Smyrna coasts , and a public education system that is being and defend the state of Florida . I In doing so , Beach ) in the U.S . Congress for about five years . upended by school choice . he officially became the Sunshine State’s 46th Aubrey Jewett , a political science professor at governor . An inaugural speech followed , during the University of Central Florida , says the new gov - which he quoted Founding Fathers Alexander WHO IS RON DESANTIS ? ernor’s connection to Trump may be strategic , Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin and compared Throughout his campaign , DeSantis leaned heavily rather than an indication of how he’ll govern . himself to a boat , saying “ I will not be a rudder - into aligning himself on political issues with Presi - “ As with Gov . Rick Scott , who prided himself less vessel in this endeavor . ” dent Donald Trump . He even went so far as to on having a pretty good relationship with Trump , DeSantis comes into office during positive make a somewhat farcical ad where he repeats one I suspect that DeSantis will sometimes try to times for Florida , economically speaking at least . of the president’s favorite refrains ( build the wall ) leverage his positive relationship with Donald He’s admitted as much while praising former Gov . and reads Trump’s The Art of the Deal to his child . Trump to the benefit of Florida , ” he says . Rick Scott for his leadership in helping the state’s “ Even though he ran as a Trump acolyte , he When it comes to whether he’ll follow in the economy recover from the Great Recession . doesn’t seem to have the same personality as Trump , ” footsteps of his predecessor , DeSantis , a conserva - But outside of that , DeSantis is facing some Carol Weissert , a political science professor at Florida tive Republican like Scott , has put forth much of pretty hefty challenges including conditions that State University , says . the same in terms of the economy : low taxes have given Florida the fifth - highest rate of unin - His reverence for the lawmaking process may be and sured residents in the nation , an environmental a result of DeSantis ’ government experience . After reducing regulatory burdens for businesses . 12 ORLANDO FAMILY february 2019 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM