What to know about Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor set to seek presidency

By STEVE PEOPLES
AP National Political Writer

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is considered Donald Trump’s strongest Republican rival in the crowded 2024 contest, but many voters are only starting to get to know DeSantis. Before he became governor, DeSantis was a Navy Judge Advocate General officer and a congressman. After narrowly winning his race for governor in 2018, DeSantis became known nationally for his willingness to fight anyone or anything that gets in his way. There may be no better example than his bitter feud with the Florida-based entertainment giant Disney, one of his state’s largest employers. He has also fought for and enacted policies that enflame the nation’s cultural divisions in what he calls his war on “woke.”