History of Ron DeSantis in Timeline
Ron DeSantis is an American politician who has served as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019. A Republican, he previously represented Florida's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018. Before entering politics, DeSantis served as a naval officer. He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 but withdrew from the race in January of that year. His governorship has been marked by conservative policies and a high national profile.
1913: Reference to Park Trammell's Governorship
Ron DeSantis became governor in 2019. He was the youngest person to assume the office since Park Trammell in 1913.
1947: Florida State Guard Inactive
In 1947, the Florida State Guard went inactive.
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.
September 14, 1978: Ron DeSantis Born
On September 14, 1978, Ronald Dion DeSantis was born. He is an American politician, former naval officer, and the 46th governor of Florida.
1982: Reference to Previous Election Margin
The 2022 election victory was the largest margin of victory in a Florida gubernatorial election since 1982.
1986: Palm Beach County Victory
DeSantis won Palm Beach County, which had not voted Republican since 1986.
1991: Little League World Series
In 1991, DeSantis was a member of the Dunedin National team that made it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
1997: Graduation from Dunedin High School
In 1997, DeSantis graduated from Dunedin High School.
2001: Graduation from Yale
In 2001, DeSantis graduated from Yale University with a B.A., magna cum laude, after studying history. As a senior, he had the baseball team's best batting average.
2002: Miami-Dade County Victory
DeSantis won Miami-Dade County, which had last voted Republican in 2002.
2004: Commissioned as Officer in U.S. Navy
In 2004, DeSantis was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and assigned to the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG).
2005: Graduation from Harvard Law School
In 2005, DeSantis graduated from Harvard Law School with a Juris Doctor, cum laude.
2006: Promoted to Lieutenant
In 2006, DeSantis was promoted from lieutenant, junior grade, to lieutenant.
2006: Arrived at Joint Task Force Guantanamo
In the spring of 2006, DeSantis arrived at Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO), working with detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
2007: Deployed to Iraq
In 2007, DeSantis reported to the Naval Special Warfare Command Group and deployed to Iraq as a legal adviser to SEAL Team One as part of the troop surge.
April 2008: Reassigned to Naval Region Southeast Legal Service
In April 2008, DeSantis returned to the U.S. and was reassigned to the Naval Region Southeast Legal Service and appointed as a special assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Middle District of Florida.
September 26, 2009: Wedding to Casey Black
On September 26, 2009, Ron DeSantis married Casey Black in a chapel at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
February 2010: Honorable Discharge from Active Duty
In February 2010, DeSantis received an honorable discharge from active duty and accepted a reserve commission in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the U.S. Navy Reserve.
2012: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 2012, DeSantis was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th congressional district.
2012: Elected to Congress
In 2012, DeSantis was first elected to the U.S. Congress, representing Florida's 6th congressional district.
2012: Worked as a Litigator before Congress
In 2012, before running for Congress, DeSantis worked as a litigator at the Miami-based law firm Holland & Knight.
2013: Signed 'No Climate Tax Pledge'
In 2013, 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: Introduced Bill Requiring DOJ to Report Non-Enforcement of Laws
In 2014, DeSantis introduced a bill that would have required the Justice Department to report to Congress whenever any federal agency refrained from enforcing laws.
2014: Introduced the Let Seniors Work Act
In 2014, DeSantis introduced the Let Seniors Work Act, which would have repealed an incentive to retire instead of keep working and would have exempted those above 65 from the 12.4% Social Security payroll tax.
2014: Supported Venezuelan Protests
In 2014, DeSantis supported the Venezuelan protests and criticized the Venezuelan government's response.
2014: Re-elected to Congress
In 2014, DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. Congress.
2014: Re-elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 2014, DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
May 2015: Announced Candidacy for U.S. Senate
In May 2015, DeSantis announced his candidacy for the 2016 United States Senate election in Florida.
2015: Co-sponsored Kate's Law
In 2015, DeSantis co-sponsored Kate's Law, which aimed to increase penalties for aliens who unlawfully reenter the U.S. after being removed.
2015: Founding Member of Freedom Caucus
In 2015, DeSantis was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of congressional conservatives and libertarians.
2015: Named 'Taxpayer Superhero' by Citizens Against Government Waste
In 2015, DeSantis was named a "Taxpayer Superhero" by the conservative think tank Citizens Against Government Waste.
2015: Sister's Death
In 2015, DeSantis' younger sister Christina, died at the age of 30 from a pulmonary embolism.
2016: Introduced Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act
In 2016, DeSantis introduced the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act, which would have allowed states to create their own accreditation systems.
2016: Received a "0" rating from the HRC
In 2016, DeSantis received a "0" rating from the Human Rights Campaign on LGBT-related legislation.
2016: Re-elected to Congress and withdrew from Senate race
In 2016, DeSantis was re-elected to Congress. Also in 2016, he briefly ran for U.S. Senate but withdrew when Marco Rubio sought reelection.
2016: Re-elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 2016, DeSantis was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
2016: Withdrew from Senate Race
In 2016, 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: Criticized Mueller Investigation
On May 17, 2017, DeSantis criticized the order that initiated the Mueller investigation of President Trump.
June 2017: Present Before Congressional Baseball Shooting
In June 2017, DeSantis was present before the congressional baseball shooting.
2017: Voted for Trump Tax Cuts
In 2017, DeSantis voted for the Trump tax cuts.
January 5, 2018: Filed to Run for Governor
On January 5, 2018, DeSantis filed to run for the office of governor of Florida.
August 28, 2018: Won Republican Primary for Governor
On August 28, 2018, DeSantis won the Republican primary, defeating Adam Putnam.
November 2018: Support for Voting Rights Restoration Initiative
In November 2018, DeSantis expressed support for the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative after it passed.
2018: Elected Governor of Florida
DeSantis was elected as governor of Florida in 2018.
2018: Pledge to Lower Corporate Income Taxes
During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, DeSantis pledged to lower corporate income taxes to 5 percent or lower.
2018: Retired from House of Representatives
In 2018, DeSantis retired from the House of Representatives to run for governor of Florida.
2018: Won Republican Nomination for Governor
In 2018, DeSantis won the Republican nomination for the gubernatorial election.
January 8, 2019: Inauguration as Governor of Florida
On January 8, 2019, Ron DeSantis was inaugurated as the governor of Florida. At age 40, he was the youngest person to assume the office since 1913.
February 2019: End of Navy Reserve Service
In February 2019, DeSantis' Navy Reserve service ended with the rank of lieutenant commander.
April 2019: Expansion of Spanish-Language Ballots
In April 2019, DeSantis directed Florida's elections chief to expand the availability of Spanish-language ballots and Spanish assistance for voters.
June 2019: Signing of $91.1 Billion Budget
In June 2019, DeSantis signed a $91.1 billion budget, which was the largest in Florida's history at the time.
June 2019: Measure to make 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, though Florida had no sanctuary cities before the law's enactment.
June 2020: E-Verify Bill Signed
In June 2020, DeSantis signed a bill requiring government employers and contractors to use E-Verify.
December 2020: Extension of Unemployment Waivers
In December 2020, DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to extend unemployment waivers until February 27, 2021.
2020: Investigation into Michael Bloomberg's Incentives for Felons to Vote
DeSantis instructed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to investigate whether Michael Bloomberg had criminally offered incentives for felons to vote in the 2020 presidential election in Florida.
2020: Citing George Floyd Protests
In 2020, DeSantis cited the George Floyd protests in arguing for the legislation of the Combating Public Disorder Act.
2020: Democrats Outvoted Republicans By Mail
In 2020, Democrats outvoted Republicans by mail.
2020: DeSantis as a Presidential Candidate
In 2020, media outlets considered DeSantis as a likely candidate for the 2024 presidential election, and notable people urged him to run.
February 2, 2021: Announcement of Legislation on Tech Company Accountability
On February 2, 2021, DeSantis announced support for legislation to hold tech companies accountable for alleged political censorship in Florida.
February 2021: Support for Restrictions on Mail-In Voting
In February 2021, DeSantis announced his support for eliminating ballot drop boxes and limiting voting by mail in Florida.
February 27, 2021: Unemployment Waivers Extended
DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to extend unemployment waivers until February 27, 2021.
April 2021: Combating Public Disorder Act Signed
In April 2021, DeSantis signed into law the Combating Public Disorder Act, which forbade intimidation by mobs, penalized damage to historic properties, and forbade publishing personal identifying information online with intent to harm.
May 5, 2021: $1,000 Bonus for First Responders
On May 5, 2021, DeSantis announced that all Florida police officers, firefighters, and paramedics would receive a $1,000 bonus.
June 1, 2021: Fairness in Women's Sports Act Signed
On June 1, 2021, DeSantis signed the Fairness in Women's Sports Act (SB 1028), banning transgender girls and women from participating in middle school, high school, and college sports competitions.
June 2021: 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 and the Florida Board of Education approved the ban on June 10.
June 2021: Signing of $101.5 Billion Budget
In June 2021, DeSantis signed a $101.5 billion budget and vetoed $1.5 billion in appropriations.
September 14, 2021: Announcement of FSA Test Replacement
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: Announcement of Reelection Campaign
In September 2021, DeSantis announced his intention to run for reelection as governor of Florida.
September 2021: $5,000 Signing Bonus for Police Officers
In September 2021, DeSantis introduced a $5,000 signing bonus for Florida police officers to attract out-of-state recruits as part of his initiative to "fund the police."
November 22, 2021: Announcement of Temporary Gasoline Tax Waiver
On November 22, 2021, DeSantis announced that he would temporarily waive Florida's gasoline tax in the next legislative session in 2022 due to a significant increase in gasoline prices.
December 2, 2021: Reactivation of Florida State Guard
On December 2, 2021, DeSantis announced that $3.5 million would be allocated to reactivate the Florida State Guard, a volunteer state defense force that had been inactive since 1947, as part of a $100 million funding proposal for the Florida National Guard.
December 15, 2021: Announcement of the "Stop WOKE Act"
On December 15, 2021, DeSantis announced a new bill, the Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act ("Stop WOKE Act").
2021: Net Worth in 2021
As of 2021, Ron DeSantis' net worth was estimated at $300,000.
2021: Halting Cooperation with Biden Administration's Migrant Program
In 2021, DeSantis halted cooperation with the Biden administration's program to relocate and resettle migrants in Florida.
2021: Florida Legislature Passed DeSantis's Top Priorities
In its 2021 session, the Florida legislature passed DeSantis's top priorities.
February 2022: Support for Parental Rights in Education Act
In February 2022, DeSantis voiced support for the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act (HB1557), also known as the "Don't Say Gay" law.
March 2022: Signing of "Don't Say Gay" law
In March 2022, DeSantis signed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act into law, prohibiting discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in school classrooms from kindergarten to grade 3.
April 14, 2022: Signing of 15-Week Abortion Ban
On April 14, 2022, DeSantis signed into law a bill that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy in Florida.
April 2022: Elimination of Disney's Special Independent District
In April 2022, DeSantis signed a bill eliminating The Walt Disney Company's special independent district act and replacing its Disney-appointed board of overseers, leading to a dispute between Disney and the state government.
May 2022: Florida's Unemployment Rate
Since May 2022, Florida's unemployment rate has sat around two percent, below the national average.
July 1, 2022: 15-Week Abortion Ban Expected to Go Into Effect
The 15-week abortion ban law was expected to go into effect on July 1, 2022, but was blocked by a state judge.
August 18, 2022: Federal Judge Blocks Enforcement of Stop WOKE Act
On August 18, 2022, a federal judge blocked enforcement of the Stop WOKE Act as applied to businesses, citing First Amendment violations.
September 2022: State of Emergency Declared for Hurricane Ian
In September 2022, DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all of Florida as Hurricane Ian approached and asked for federal aid in advance.
September 2022: Migrants Flown to Martha's Vineyard
In September 2022, DeSantis's agent recruited 50 asylum seekers in Texas and flew them to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, leading to a class-action suit against DeSantis.
2022: Corporate Income Tax Increase
By 2022 corporate income taxes in Florida had increased to 5.5 percent.
2022: Re-elected Governor of Florida
DeSantis was re-elected as governor of Florida in 2022.
2022: Presidential Nomination Contender
In 2022, DeSantis became seen as a contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
2022: Re-elected as Governor
In 2022, DeSantis defeated Charlie Crist to be re-elected as Governor.
2022: Gasoline Tax Waiver
In 2022, DeSantis planned to temporarily waive Florida's gasoline tax.
2022: Election Police Unit Created
In 2022, DeSantis signed a bill creating an election police unit to investigate election fraud.
2022: Allegations Regarding Guantanamo Bay
In 2022, Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi alleged that DeSantis oversaw force-feeding detainees at Guantanamo Bay; DeSantis acknowledged advising the base commander about the use of force feeding.
2022: Criticism of Charlie Crist's Attendance
In 2022, during the campaign, DeSantis criticized Charlie Crist for allegedly only showing up for work 14 days as a U.S. representative.
2022: Book Deal in 2022
Ron DeSantis' $1.25 million book deal with HarperCollins in 2022 made him a millionaire by the end of that year.
2022: Implementation of New Testing System
The new testing system was implemented in the 2022–23 school year.
January 2023: Florida Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Abortion Law
In January 2023, the Supreme Court of Florida agreed to hear a legal challenge to the 15-week abortion ban law.
March 2023: Considering further legislation for all grades
As of March 2023, DeSantis was considering further similar legislation for all grades.
March 22, 2023: COVID-19 Pandemic Handling
From March 2020 through March 22, 2023, Florida had the 12th-highest rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths per 100,000 people among the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
April 2023: Signing of Six-Week Abortion Ban
In April 2023, DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban in Florida.
April 2023: Trump Led in National Polls
In April 2023, Donald Trump led DeSantis in national polls for the Republican presidential nomination.
April 26, 2023: Disney Files Suit Against DeSantis
On April 26, 2023, The Walt Disney Company filed suit against DeSantis and others, accusing them of retaliating against protected speech after DeSantis eliminated Disney's special independent district.
May 2023: Plans to Send Personnel to Texas
In May 2023, DeSantis announced plans to send over 1,000 personnel to Texas, including National Guard troops, to help stem illegal immigration.
May 24, 2023: Announced Candidacy for President
On May 24, 2023, DeSantis officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
September 2023: Net Worth Estimated in September 2023
As of September 2023, Ron DeSantis' net worth was estimated at $1.5 million.
2023: Florida's Budget Surplus
Florida had a record state budget surplus in 2023.
2023: Reversal on Social Security Position
While running for president in 2023, DeSantis reversed his previous position on Social Security, stating, "we’re not going to mess with Social Security."
January 2024: DeSantis Ends Presidential Campaign
In January 2024, DeSantis ended his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
January 21, 2024: DeSantis Withdraws from Presidential Race
On January 21, 2024, DeSantis withdrew his candidacy for president and endorsed Donald Trump.
January 31, 2024: Disney Lawsuit Dismissed
On January 31, 2024, Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis was dismissed, though Disney vowed to appeal.
March 27, 2024: Disney Settles State Court Lawsuits
On March 27, 2024, Disney settled its pending state court lawsuits with DeSantis.
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
The six-week abortion ban went into effect on May 1, 2024, after the Supreme Court of Florida upheld the 15-week ban on April 1, 2024.
June 2024: Veto of Waterway Bacteria Bill
In June 2024, DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have created a statewide process to issue closures and warnings if bacteria in waterways reached unsafe levels.
September 2024: Defending Election Police Unit
In September 2024, DeSantis defended the election police unit's visits to the homes of Florida voters who had signed an abortion rights ballot initiative.
2024: Gubernatorial Debate Exchange
During the gubernatorial debate, Crist asked DeSantis about serving a full term. In 2024, DeSantis responded with a comment about Crist.
2024: Supporters Chant "Two More Years"
Following the election victory, at DeSantis's victory rally in 2024, supporters chanted "two more years" to show support for a potential presidential run in 2024.
2024: Restriction on Social Media Platforms
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: Likely Presidential Candidate
In 2024, media outlets saw DeSantis as a likely candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
2024: Increased 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 governor again
In 2026, DeSantis is not eligible to run for a third term as governor.
