TALLAHASSEE
Governor Ron DeSantis starts off his second term as Florida’s leader with confidence. During his inauguration, he talked about what he’s accomplished for the state over the past four years and the importance of freedom, referring to Florida as the land of liberty and sanity.
Governor DeSantis walked down the steps of the Florida capitol, ready to begin his second term with his wife and kids by his side. He did not mince words in his inaugural address.
“We reject this woke ideology. We seek normalcy, not philosophical lunacy. We will not allow reality, facts, and truth to become optional. We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die,” said DeSantis.
“I thought it was pretty consistent with where he’s been over the last couple of years,” said Florida Atlantic University professor and political science chair Kevin Wagner.
DeSantis’ demeanor and tone did not surprise Wagner.
The governor bragged of his accomplishments in Tallahassee and took jabs at Democrats in control in Washington.
“Florida’s success has been made more difficult by the floundering federal establishment in Washington DC. Federal government has gone on an inflationary spending binge that has left our nation weaker and our citizens poor. It is enacted pandemic restrictions and mandates based more on ideology and politics than on sound science,” DeSantis said.
What DeSantis did not say was also no surprise to Wagner. “Despite the desire to get all, you know, a lot of future planning out of the speech, I don’t think we got a lot.”
The governor did not say a word about affordable housing or property insurance. Two critical issues here in Southwest Florida.
The question now is will the governor be more interested in being governor, or will he “Use this opportunity to speak to more national issues, to speak to sort of larger issues outside of Florida as a springboard for a potential presidential run,” said Wagner.
Before and after the governor’s 2023 inaugural address, WINK News spoke to Wagner, who predicted the governor would talk directly to supporters during his inauguration, knowing conservatives nationwide would still hear him.
“We promised to remedy deficiencies in Florida’s election administration and to hold wayward officials accountable, and we delivered. We said we would support the areas in northwest Florida stricken by Hurricane Michael, and we delivered. And when Hurricane Ian came last year, the state coordinated a massive mobilization of response personnel, facilitated the fastest power restoration on record, and even quickly rebuild key bridges that had been wiped out by the storm,” said DeSantis.
“I mean, if you were going to run for president comparing, you know, your accomplishments, compared to the rest of the nation, it’s a pretty good place where many governors would start,” Wagner said.
As for whether DeSantis will run for president? That’s another speech for another day.
WINK NEWS