In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has been in power since 2018. He built his coalition on the pillars of President Donald Trump’s MAGA ideology, promising a reduced role for the federal government and conservative social policies. He also insisted on state government investments to improve infrastructure and education, as well as stricter sanctions on immigration.
But over the last two years, DeSantis’ coalition has proved insufficiently broad to give him a mandate for action. This has resulted in a lack of palpable legislative outcomes, even as the state’s economy has come to a halt and he has dealt with a pandemic.
DeSantis’ support among moderates has been eroded by his hardline stance on immigration and other issues, as well as his opposition to the Affordable Care Act. At the same time, the MAGA portion of his coalition is beginning to tire of the governor’s lack of results, with even some asking why DeSantis hasn’t done more to push the state in a conservative direction.
This disconnect between the governor’s rhetoric and his achievements has made it difficult for DeSantis to maintain the energy he thrived upon early in his term. As a result, his support among all types of Floridians has decreased. With his approval ratings at record lows, the governor must find a way to reconcile his ambitious campaign promises with tangible results or risk abysmal re-election chances.
