Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has hinted that he has much more planned before his political career is finished.
There has been considerable speculation that, should former President Donald Trump not run for president again, DeSantis would be a leading contender in 2024. The governor hasn’t made any announcements about his future political plans.
Earlier in the event, a pastor noted that the governor would make a good president of the United States, which was met by cheers, reported CNN.
The governor has received praise among conservatives in recent months for resisting lockdowns, opening his state back up, rescinding mask requirements, and banning so-called “vaccine passports.”
“All I can say to any state that has not followed suit: Open your state, open your schools, end these mask mandates, let people live and thrive,” DeSantis said. “When it came right down to it, we chose freedom over Fauci-ism.”
DeSantis was referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who has faced increasing criticism for his dire predictions about COVID-19.
In 2018, DeSantis—who received Trump’s endorsement—defeated Democrat Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by a slim margin, but has since gained traction among Republicans. He’s also become an opponent of the current administration and its messaging around mask-wearing and vaccines.
“So my message is the vaccines protect you, get vaccinated, and then live your life as if you’re protected. You don’t have to chafe under restrictions infinitum.”
Trump has not publicly announced whether he will run again in 2024. In interviews, the former president said he would wait until the 2022 midterms are over, citing campaign finance regulations.