Laying out his top priorities for a second term and a potential platform for a presidential run, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a State of the State speech Tuesday that conspicuously avoided much of the divisive rhetoric that has fueled his political ascent but nevertheless signaled another round of cultural wars is coming in the weeks ahead.
DeSantis asserted that his landslide November victory was a “vindication” of his contentious agenda during his first term and a mandate to “shoot for the stars” and “swing for the fences” in the coming year. He encouraged lawmakers to “ignore all the background noise” as they tackle a lengthy list of priorities that are sure to enrage Democrats but animate future Republican primary voters.
“We find ourselves in Florida on the front lines in the battle for freedom,” he said. “Together, we have made Florida the nation’s most desired destination and we have produced historic results. But now’s not the time to rest on our laurels.”
The remarks laid the groundwork for what is expected to be a breathless sprint by the GOP-controlled legislature to rack up policy wins that could form a platform to launch DeSantis’ highly anticipated bid for the White House.
DeSantis notably refrained from using the word “woke” in his remarks – a staple of the political speeches he has delivered in recent months – and wasn’t nearly as combative toward President Joe Biden. He largely focused on more agreeable topics like improving education, alleviating traffic congestion and championing truck drivers, police officers and nurses.
But he also chastised the “biomedical security state” that required Covid-19 vaccines and vowed to permanently ban mandates related to coronavirus mitigation, an outlier position that helped DeSantis emerge as a conservative star during the pandemic.
“We…
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