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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) \u2014 The field of Republican contenders seeking to challenge President Joe Biden is growing.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Republican Senator Tim Scott kicked off his campaign in South Carolina.<\/p>\n
8 On Your Side has learned that sometime this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to officially enter the race. So we decided to take a look back at the governor’s race as he prepared for the national stage.<\/p>\n
\t\tHow Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Funding “Campaign Trips?”\t<\/p>\n
In 2018, DeSantis jumped into the race for governor of Florida.<\/p>\n
“As governor, I will take a special interest in cleaning up our waters and stopping the spread of toxic algae,” DeSantis promised in a campaign announcement. <\/p>\n
He had served three terms in Congress. Still, the former Navy officer was considered an underdog, before getting President Trump’s endorsement.<\/p>\n
On election day, we spoke with Desantis at a polling station.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked really hard,\u201d DeSantis said. “I’m happy to let the chips fall where they may.”<\/p>\n
DeSantis defeated Democrat Andrew Gillum by a slim margin: less than one percentage point, roughly 32,463 votes.<\/p>\n
In his first inauguration, he promised to keep Florida’s taxes low, protect its environment and its constitution.<\/p>\n
“I will only appoint judges who understand that the proper role of the courts is to apply the constitution as written,” DeSantis said. <\/p>\n
Then, COVID hit.<\/p>\n
\t\tDeSantis in 2024: “Either you have to hold on or shut up”\t<\/p>\n
The governor took a different approach than others, resisting mask and vaccine mandates and keeping kids in class and businesses open.<\/p>\n
“We don’t let anybody impose restrictions or mandates,” DeSantis said. “You can make decisions for yourself and your family as you see fit.” <\/p>\n
The governor was widely criticized by many public health experts. During this time, he often fought with reporters.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been successful and I think people don’t want to acknowledge that,” DeSantis said in May 2020.<\/p>\n
These exchanges helped put him in the national spotlight.<\/p>\n
But what happened next made him a leading candidate for the White House.<\/p>\n
DeSantis beat Charlie Crist, winning by nearly 20 percentage points in November 2022.<\/p>\n
“We will never surrender to the woke mob, Florida is where the woke go to die,” DeSantis said during his second inauguration.<\/p>\n
\t\tFlorida doctors can now deny health coverage based on personal opinions\t<\/p>\n
There are reports that the Biden team is quietly preparing for a DeSantis run.<\/p>\n
Biden supporters are attacking DeSantis’ feud with Disney, his crackdown on illegal immigration and the state’s six-week abortion ban.<\/p>\n
DeSantis is also taking hits from his former mentor. Right now, President Donald Trump is the frontrunner.<\/p>\n
“The problem with Ron DeSanctimonious is that he needs a personality transplant and those aren’t available yet.” Trump said. <\/a><\/p>\n “I think the party has developed a culture of losing,” DeSantis said.<\/p>\n It’s hard to overstate DeSantis’ victory in November 2022. He flipped Democratic strongholds, including Miami-Dade, and his state PAC raised $226 million.<\/p>\n Right now, some political observers say DeSantis is falling under the new scrutiny, but his supporters say he has plenty of time to sway opinion before the primaries.<\/p>\n