Ron DeSantis's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Ron DeSantis. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

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 was an attorney and served as a naval officer. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, but withdrew from the race in January of that year.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1982: Largest Victory Margin Since 1982

Ron DeSantis's November 8 election victory was the largest margin of victory in a Florida gubernatorial election since 1982, with 59.4 percent of the vote.

1986: Won Palm Beach County

Ron DeSantis won Palm Beach County in the November 8 election, marking the first time a Republican had won the county since 1986.

2002: Won Miami-Dade County

Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade County in the November 8 election, marking the first time a Republican had won the county since 2002.

2015: Named Taxpayer Superhero

In 2015, Conservative think tank Citizens Against Government Waste named DeSantis a "Taxpayer Superhero". DeSantis sponsored the Transportation Empowerment Act, which would have transferred much of the responsibility for transportation projects to the states and sharply reduced the federal gas tax.

August 28, 2018: Won Republican Primary

On August 28, 2018, Ron DeSantis won the Republican primary, defeating Adam Putnam. During the primary, DeSantis emphasized his alignment with President Trump.

2022: Time 100 and HarperCollins Book Deal

In 2022, DeSantis appeared on Time 100, Time's list of influential people. Also in 2022, he secured a $1.25 million book deal with HarperCollins, making him a millionaire by the end of the year.

2022: Defeats Charlie Crist by 19.4 percentage points

In the 2022 gubernatorial election, DeSantis defeated former governor Charlie Crist by 19.4 percentage points, the state's largest margin of victory for a governor's election in 40 years.

March 27, 2024: Disney settled state court lawsuits with DeSantis

On March 27, 2024, Disney settled its pending state court lawsuits with DeSantis. Per the agreement, Disney put the appeal of its federal lawsuit on hold while a new development agreement with Florida was negotiated. But no alterations to Disney's appeal of the federal lawsuit were made. The settlement came a day after DeSantis replaced two Disney critics on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District with two Disney supporters and two weeks after a court largely overturned The Parental Rights in Education Act.