Ron DeSantis praised his wife Casey, who is now cancer-free, as he unveiled his manifesto for Florida and offered another look at his likely 2024 presidential campaign in his State of the State address.
Florida’s governor vowed to ensure his state remains ‘No. 1’ in the US and attacked President Joe Biden in his speech to the Florida legislature as its lawmakers prepare for a mammoth two-month session to pass a large chunk of DeSantis’s agenda.
He was speaking as Republicans introduced a bill to ban abortion after six weeks.
The Republican touted economic growth, low unemployment and a budget surplus and pushed for promises to get parents more involved in education and clamp down on illegal immigration.
Ron DeSantis laid out his manifesto for Florida and a look at his likely 2024 presidential campaign in his State of the State address Tuesday.
During his speech, DeSantis praised his wife Casey DeSantis, who is a breast cancer survivor. Florida’s first lady is shown holding the couple’s middle child, 4-year-old Mason, at the State of the State address at the Capitol building in Tallahassee on Tuesday.
“Florida is number 1, and by working together, we’re going to make sure that it remains the number 1 state in this United States,” he told lawmakers Tuesday.
‘Working together, we have faced great challenges and are leading the nation on many important issues. We don’t make excuses. We don’t complain. We just produce results.’
He criticized Biden for his “catch and release policies” at the border and vowed to “put Floridians first.”
Casey DeSantis received the biggest ovation as her husband celebrated his work in ‘Florida’s battle against cancer,’ after she battled breast cancer and after he announced last week that his wife is now cancer-free. .
“I can tell you: she is cancer free and doing better than ever,” DeSantis repeated during his speech Tuesday.
Florida’s first lady attended the speech with the couple’s middle child and only boy, 4-year-old Mason. Their two daughters, Madison, 6, and Mamie, who will be 3 this month.
“Mason and I are excited to watch Governor Ron DeSantis’ State of the State address this morning,” Casey posted on her Twitter with a picture of her and Mason in front of the Florida state flag and the American flag.
Keeping with her Jackie O-inspired look, Casey donned a tea-length pink dress with white elbow-length gloves, white pointed heels and pearl earrings.
Concluding his remarks Tuesday, DeSantis urged the Republican-majority Florida legislature to “ignore all the background noise” as they enter session and remember their mission.
‘We will stand firm. We will hold the line. We will not back down. And I can promise you this: you haven’t seen anything yet,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis addressed the Florida legislature, which has a large Republican majority, as a two-month session begins in which lawmakers plan to pass a series of laws in line with the governor’s agenda.
Casey DeSantis posted a picture of her and the couple’s son Mason, 4, ahead of the comments. Her two daughters, Madison, 6, and Mamie, 2, did not attend the remarks.
Casey DeSantis continues to draw her influence from fashion icon Jackie Kennedy Onassis by donning a pink A-line, evening-length dress with white elbow-length gloves for her husband’s State of the State. Pictured: President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy at the White House in May 1962. Jackie wore a pink Christian Dior A-line dress with white gloves.
Jackie O also wore a pink A-line, evening-length dress with white gloves, white heels, and pearls during a Jag Mandir tour of India on March 17, 1962.
DeSantis continued to lay out his plans for Florida amid speculation that he might announce a presidential bid in the near future.
He visited Texas and California over the weekend and will make a stop in Alabama this week before heading to Iowa for his first trip to the nation’s first primary contest state since emerging as the favorite for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The Florida governor will also visit key Nevada states over the weekend before traveling later this month to New Hampshire, another anticipated primary contest state.
DeSantis’ state of the state address came just days after the release of his new memoir The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival, which many see as the platform on which he plans to run for president in 2024.
Part of his national tour includes his book tour, such as his remarks before 1,300 people at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, on Sunday, where he signed copies of his book.
Speaking for about 20 minutes Tuesday, DeSantis was caught on the microphone telling Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo that he intentionally wanted comments short and sweet.
“I tried to make it shorter than everyone else, I think I did,” DeSantis was heard saying as he greeted the cheering legislature at the end of his remarks. It was brief. Yeah, I just wanted to keep it short.
DeSantis responded to questions from the media following his State of the State address to the Florida Cabinet and the joint session of its legislature on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.