Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Ron DeSantis

1913: Youngest Governor Since Park Trammell

Ron DeSantis became governor of Florida on January 8, 2019. At age 40, he was the youngest person to assume the office since Park Trammell in 1913.

1949: Posthumous Pardon of the Groveland Four

On January 11, 2019, three days after taking office, DeSantis posthumously pardoned the Groveland Four, a group of black men falsely convicted of rape in 1949.

1982: Largest Margin of Victory Since 1982

On November 8, 2022, DeSantis won the election in a landslide, with the largest margin of victory in a Florida gubernatorial election since 1982.

1986: Won Palm Beach County

On November 8, 2022, DeSantis won Palm Beach County, which had not voted Republican since 1986.

2002: Won Miami-Dade County

On November 8, 2022, DeSantis won Miami-Dade County, which had last voted Republican in 2002.

2004: Commissioned as Navy Officer

In 2004, Ron DeSantis was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and assigned to the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG).

2004: DeSantis Joins U.S. Navy

In 2004, after graduating from Yale and Harvard Law, Ron DeSantis joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

2005: Completes Naval Justice School

In 2005, Ron DeSantis completed Naval Justice School.

2006: Assignment to Joint Task Force Guantanamo

In 2006, Ron DeSantis arrived at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, working with detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

2006: Promotion to Lieutenant

In 2006, Ron DeSantis was promoted from lieutenant, junior grade to lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

2006: Stationed at Guantanamo

In 2006, Ron DeSantis was stationed at Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

2007: Assignment to SEAL Team One and Deployment to Iraq

In 2007, Ron DeSantis reported to the Naval Special Warfare Command Group and was assigned as a legal adviser to SEAL Team One; he deployed to Iraq in the fall of 2007.

2007: Deployment to Iraq

In 2007, Ron DeSantis was deployed to Iraq while serving in the U.S. Navy.

April 2008: Reassignment to Naval Region Southeast Legal Service

In April 2008, Ron DeSantis returned to the U.S. and was reassigned to the Naval Region Southeast Legal Service. He was also appointed as a special assistant U.S. attorney.

February 2010: Honorable Discharge from Active Duty

In February 2010, Ron DeSantis received an honorable discharge from active duty and accepted a reserve commission in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

2010: Honorable Discharge from Active Duty

In 2010, Ron DeSantis received an honorable discharge from active military duty and also served as a special assistant U.S. attorney.

2012: Joins Holland & Knight

Before running for Congress in 2012, DeSantis worked as a litigator at the Miami-based law firm Holland & Knight.

2012: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2012, Ron DeSantis was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th congressional district.

2012: First Election to Congress

In 2012, Ron DeSantis was first elected to the U.S. Congress, representing Florida's 6th congressional district.

2013: Signs "No Climate Tax Pledge"

In 2013, Ron DeSantis signed a "No Climate Tax Pledge" against tax hikes to fight global warming and voted in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act.

2014: Introduces Bill on Agency Enforcement of Laws

In 2014, Ron DeSantis introduced a bill that would have required the Justice Department to report to Congress when a federal agency refrained from enforcing laws.

2014: Introduces Let Seniors Work Act

In 2014, Ron DeSantis introduced the Let Seniors Work Act, which would have repealed an incentive to retire, and co-sponsored a measure to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.

2014: Support for Venezuelan Protests and Criticism of IRS

In 2014, Ron DeSantis supported the Venezuelan protests and criticized the Venezuelan government's response. He also called for the IRS commissioner's resignation.

2014: Re-elected to Congress

In 2014, Ron DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. Congress.

2014: Re-elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2014, Ron DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

May 2015: Announces Senate Candidacy

In May 2015, Ron DeSantis announced his candidacy for the 2016 United States Senate election in Florida.

2015: Co-sponsors Kate's Law

In 2015, Ron DeSantis co-sponsored Kate's Law, aimed at increasing penalties for aliens who unlawfully re-enter the U.S. after being removed.

2015: Founding Member of Freedom Caucus

In 2015, Ron DeSantis was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus.

2015: "Taxpayer Superhero" Award

In 2015, Ron DeSantis was named a "Taxpayer Superhero" by Citizens Against Government Waste.

2016: Introduces Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act

In 2016, Ron DeSantis introduced the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act, which would have allowed states to create their own accreditation systems.

2016: Re-elected to Congress and Senate run

In 2016, Ron DeSantis was re-elected to Congress. He also briefly ran for U.S. Senate, but withdrew when Marco Rubio sought reelection.

2016: Re-elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2016, Ron DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

2016: Withdraws from Senate Race

In 2016, Ron DeSantis withdrew from the Senate race after Marco Rubio decided to run for reelection, and instead ran for reelection to the House.

May 17, 2017: Criticism of Mueller Investigation

In May 17, 2017, Ron DeSantis criticized the Mueller investigation, proposing legislation to end its funding.

2017: Voted for Tax Cuts

In 2017, Ron DeSantis voted for the Trump tax cuts.

January 5, 2018: Files to Run for Governor

On January 5, 2018, Ron DeSantis filed to run for the office of governor of Florida.

August 28, 2018: Wins Republican Primary for Governor

On August 28, 2018, Ron DeSantis won the Republican primary for governor, defeating Adam Putnam.

2018: Pledged to Lower Corporate Income Taxes

During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, DeSantis pledged to lower corporate income taxes to 5 percent or lower.

2018: Retires from House to run for Governor

In 2018, Ron DeSantis retired from the House of Representatives, after serving three terms, to run for governor of Florida.

2018: Wins Republican Nomination for Governor

In 2018, Ron DeSantis won the Republican nomination for the Florida gubernatorial election and defeated Andrew Gillum in the general election.

2018: Elected Governor of Florida

Ron DeSantis was elected Governor of Florida in 2018.

January 8, 2019: Inauguration as Governor of Florida

On January 8, 2019, DeSantis became the governor of Florida and was inaugurated into office.

February 2019: End of Navy Reserve Service

In February 2019, Ron DeSantis's Navy Reserve service ended with the rank of lieutenant commander.

June 2019: Signed $91.1 Billion Budget

In June 2019, DeSantis signed a $91.1 billion budget passed by the legislature, the largest in state history at the time, but cut $131 million in appropriations.

June 2019: Signed Measure Making Ballot Initiatives Harder

In June 2019, DeSantis signed a measure that would make it harder to launch successful ballot initiatives.

June 2019: Anti-"Sanctuary City" Bill Signed

In June 2019, DeSantis signed an anti-"sanctuary city" bill into law.

June 2020: E-Verify Bill Signed

In June 2020, DeSantis signed a bill requiring government employers and contractors to use E-Verify.

December 2020: Extended Unemployment Waivers

In December 2020, DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to extend unemployment waivers until February 27, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Republicans Historically Voted by Mail More Than Democrats

In February 2021, DeSantis announced support for eliminating ballot drop boxes and limiting voting by mail. The changes to mail-in voting were notable given that Republicans had historically voted by mail more than Democrats, but Democrats outvoted Republicans by mail in 2020.

2020: Investigated Bloomberg for Incentives to Vote

In June 2019, DeSantis instructed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to investigate whether Michael Bloomberg had criminally offered incentives for felons to vote by assisting in a fundraising effort to pay off their financial obligations so they could vote in the 2020 presidential election in Florida. No wrongdoing was found.

February 2, 2021: Announced Support for Legislation to Hold Tech Companies Accountable

On February 2, 2021, DeSantis announced support for legislation to hold tech companies accountable to prevent alleged political censorship.

February 2021: Announced Support for Voting Restrictions

In February 2021, DeSantis announced support for eliminating ballot drop boxes and limiting voting by mail, requiring voters to re-register every year to vote by mail.

February 27, 2021: Unemployment Waivers Extended

In December 2020, DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to extend unemployment waivers until February 27, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2021: Combating Public Disorder Act Signed

In April 2021, DeSantis signed into law the Combating Public Disorder Act, forbidding intimidation by mobs, penalizing damage to historic properties, and forbidding publishing personal identifying information online with intent to harm.

May 5, 2021: $1,000 Bonus for First Responders Announced

On May 5, 2021, DeSantis announced that all Florida police officers, firefighters, and paramedics would receive a $1,000 bonus.

June 2021: Led Effort to Ban Critical Race Theory

In June 2021, DeSantis led an effort to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Florida public schools, describing it as "teaching kids to hate their country."

June 2021: Signed $101.5 Billion Budget

In June 2021, DeSantis signed a $101.5 billion budget and used his line-item veto to veto $1.5 billion.

September 14, 2021: Announced Replacement of FSA Test

On September 14, 2021, DeSantis announced that Florida would replace the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) test with a system of three smaller tests throughout the school year.

September 2021: Announced Reelection Campaign

In September 2021, DeSantis announced he would run for reelection as governor of Florida.

September 2021: Signing Bonus for Police Officers Introduced

In September 2021, DeSantis introduced a $5,000 signing bonus for Florida police officers in an effort to attract out-of-state recruits.

November 22, 2021: Announced Temporary Gasoline Tax Waiver

On November 22, 2021, DeSantis announced that he would temporarily waive Florida's gasoline tax in the next legislative session due to a significant increase in gasoline prices.

December 2, 2021: Reactivation of Florida State Guard Announced

On December 2, 2021, DeSantis announced that as part of a $100 million funding proposal for the Florida National Guard, $3.5 million would be allocated to the reactivation of the Florida State Guard.

December 15, 2021: Announced Stop WOKE Act

On December 15, 2021, DeSantis announced a new bill, the Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act ("Stop WOKE Act"), which would allow parents to sue school districts that teach critical race theory.

2021: Halted Cooperation on Migrant Resettlement

In 2021, DeSantis halted cooperation with the Biden administration's program to relocate and resettle migrants in Florida.

2021: Florida Legislature Passes DeSantis's Priorities

In 2021, the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature passed DeSantis's top legislative priorities, often on rapid timelines.

April 14, 2022: Signed 15-Week Abortion Ban

On April 14, 2022, DeSantis signed into law a bill that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.

May 2022: Florida Unemployment Rate Below National Average

Since May 2022, Florida's unemployment rate has been around two percent, below the national average.

July 1, 2022: 15-Week Abortion Ban Expected to Go Into Effect

The 15-week abortion ban signed on April 14, 2022, was expected to go into effect on July 1, 2022, but a state judge blocked its enforcement.

August 18, 2022: Enforcement of Stop WOKE Act Blocked

On August 18, 2022, a federal judge blocked enforcement of the Stop WOKE Act as applied to businesses, ruling that it violated the First Amendment and was impermissibly vague.

2022: Corporate income taxes increased

During his tenure, corporate income taxes in Florida got as low as 3.5 percent in 2021, but by 2022 they had increased to 5.5 percent.

2022: Criticized Crist's Attendance Record

During the 2022 campaign trail and at the gubernatorial debate, DeSantis criticized Charlie Crist's role as a U.S. representative, stating Crist showed up for work for only 14 days during 2022.

2022: Seen as a Presidential Contender

In 2022, DeSantis became seen as a contender for the presidential nomination, with writers predicting he could defeat Trump.

2022: Election Police Unit Created

In 2022, DeSantis signed a bill creating an election police unit to investigate election fraud.

2022: New Testing System Implemented

In 2022, DeSantis's new testing system was implemented in the 2022–23 school year.

2022: Re-election as Governor

In 2022, Ron DeSantis was re-elected as the governor of Florida, defeating Charlie Crist by a large margin.

2022: Considered Temporarily Waiving Florida's Gasoline Tax

On November 22, 2021, DeSantis announced that he would temporarily waive Florida's gasoline tax in the next legislative session, in 2022, because of a significant increase in gasoline prices.

2022: Re-elected Governor of Florida

Ron DeSantis was re-elected Governor of Florida in 2022.

January 2023: Supreme Court to Hear Legal Challenge to Abortion Law

In January 2023, the Supreme Court of Florida agreed to hear a legal challenge to the 15-week abortion ban.

April 2023: Signed Six-Week Abortion Ban

In April 2023, DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban with limited exceptions, including cases of rape, incest, or human trafficking with proof of a crime required.

April 2023: Trailing Trump in National Polls

In April 2023, Trump led DeSantis in national polls for the Republican nomination, though DeSantis was performing better in battleground polling of the general election.

May 2023: Plans to Send Personnel to Texas

In May 2023, DeSantis announced plans to send over 1,000 personnel, including National Guard troops, to Texas to help stem illegal immigration.

May 24, 2023: Announces Candidacy for President

On May 24, 2023, Ron DeSantis announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

2023: Florida Had a Record State Budget Surplus

In 2023, Florida had a record state budget surplus.

January 2024: DeSantis Withdraws from Presidential Race

In January 2024, Ron DeSantis withdrew his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

January 21, 2024: Withdraws Presidential Candidacy

On January 21, 2024, Ron DeSantis withdrew his presidential candidacy and endorsed Donald Trump.

April 1, 2024: Florida Supreme Court Upheld 15 Week Ban

On April 1, 2024, the Supreme Court of Florida upheld the 15-week ban.

May 1, 2024: Six-Week Abortion Ban Went Into Effect

On May 1, 2024, the six-week abortion ban went into effect after the Supreme Court of Florida upheld the 15-week ban on April 1, 2024.

2024: Supporters Chant "Two More Years"

After DeSantis's victory on November 8, 2022, supporters chanted "two more years" rather than the common "four more years" to show support for DeSantis for president in 2024.

2024: Gubernatorial Debate

During the gubernatorial debate on October 23, 2022, Crist questioned DeSantis's commitment to serving a full four-year term, referencing presidential aspirations for 2024. DeSantis responded, stating, "the only worn-out old donkey I'm looking to put out to pastures is Charlie Crist".

2024: Bill signed into law restricting social media accounts for people under 16

In 2024, DeSantis signed into a law a bill that requires social media platforms to prohibit people under 16 years old from making accounts.

2024: Presidential Election Speculation

In 2024, media outlets saw DeSantis as a likely candidate for the 2024 presidential election, and notable people urged him to run.

2024: Increased 2024 Speculation

In 2024, the release of DeSantis's memoir, The Courage to Be Free, and book tour, increased 2024 speculation.

2026: Ineligible to Run for a Third Term

In 2026, Ron DeSantis is not eligible to run for a third term as Governor of Florida.