Before he was Governor of Florida and a darling of the GOP, Ron DeSantis was a little leaguer. He helped take his hometown Dunedin, Florida team to the quarterfinals of the 1991 Little League World Series.
Thirty-two years later, he's running for a different title — the most powerful man in the world.
"I honestly believe that we have an opportunity to right the ship and to get this whole country going," DeSantis said.
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Before his political career began, DeSantis earned his undergraduate degree from Yale, his law degree from Harvard, and became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy.
During his military career, DeSantis spent 10 months stationed at Guantanamo Bay, where he worked directly with detainees. At least one former detainee claims DeSantis witnessed him being force-fed. DeSantis served six years of active duty and earned several awards, including the Bronze Star.
In 2012, DeSantis successfully ran for the House of Representatives, beating out six fellow Republicans in the primary and then his Democratic challenger in November. He campaigned on the message of repealing Obamacare, cracking down on illegal immigration, and fiscal responsibility.
After serving three terms in the House, DeSantis ran for Florida governor in 2018 and narrowly beat his Democratic challenger Andrew Gillum. Four years later, his popularity had soared, and he cruised to re-election in 2022.
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In the governor's office, he's made a national name for himself by advocating for conservative issues. He's signed anti-LGBTQ legislation, including a ban on gender-affirming care for minors. He flew migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard to highlight border security issues. And in April, he signed Florida's 6-week abortion ban into law.
Now DeSantis is hoping to bring his hardball skills back to Washington D.C.
