Ron DeSantis for President

Irealize the next election for U.S. President is three and a half years away, but do political campaigns for the top office ever really end? I’d say no, so I’m among those already looking toward the next election. It’s evident already that a lot of Republicans are jockeying for a potential run and I’m putting my money on the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.
    Mostly notably in recent months, he’s promoted the “crazy” idea that people should be able to make their own decisions on their health and freedom—without lockdowns, masks or isolation.
    He’s a stark difference from most Democrats who continue to push fear during this COVID-19 era—that’s because fear sells and when people are fearful, it’s easy to push through their pet projects and spend trillions, telling us it’s for the country dealing with a pandemic “that is still with us.” DeSantis has a different outlook—that we are coming out of a pandemic.
    Just look at some of the legislation DeSantis has signed recently:
    1) On Monday, he penned an executive order banning Florida businesses, schools and government entities from asking anyone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, and removes mandates, in part, for masks. He said the “state of emergency is over” and asks if vaccines are 99% effective why have such mandates.
    2) He recently signed into law the state’s “anti-riot” bill, a measure that increases law enforcement’s powers to crack down on civil unrest. It also protects Confederate monuments along with other memorials, statues and historic property.
    3) He recently signed a “right to farm” bill, which Florida’s Speaker of the House says recognizes the importance of the ag industry to Florida’s economy and putting food on the table. It reportedly gives farmers protections  to do their job without fear of nuisance lawsuits.
    Those are just a few that have caught my eye. Legislation like this, coupled with the restrictive mandates in other states, is affecting the positive population shifts into the Sunshine State.
    There are already a lot of suggestions on a running mate for DeSantis, with the Florida Governor at the top of the ticket—others have DeSantis as the v.p. candidate for such rising Republicans as South Carolina’s Sen. Tim Scott.
    Whatever happens, and a lot will between now and 2024, I’m predicting DeSantis will be strongly in the mix. Right now, he’s the leading candidate in my mind.
    One thing I hope the coming months bring, too, is that former President Trump puts his efforts into supporting strong candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, instead of seeking the highest office again. He has a lot of Republican support out there—I hope he uses it to influence efforts like what just happened in the Texas House race where two Republicans were the top-vote getters in a crowded runoff election.
    I, for one, am looking for new leadership like DeSantis.