Republican Governor Mr. Florida, Ron DeSantiswas re-elected to a second term on Tuesday in a dominant victory over Democrat Charlie Crist, cementing his rise as a prominent American star. Republican Party with potential ambitions for the White House.

DeSantis’ victory also means a continued shift to the right in a state that was once the biggest swinger in the country – now a Democrat, now a Republican. In this vote, his voters supported the governor, who reveled in the policy of “culture war” and defined his candidacy as a fight against the liberal program.

“We are fighting the “wake-ups” (a term that has become synonymous with liberal or left-wing politics) in the Legislative Assembly. We are fighting against “woken up” in schools. We are fighting the “awake” in corporations. We will never, ever surrender to the awakened crowd. Florida is where this culture will die,” DeSantis told cheering supporters during his victory speech. “I just started fighting.

Leading up to the election, DeSantis took advantage of the fact that he was already in office to round up the media, often at the last minute, for press conferences, in which he spent considerable time honing in on Democratic President Joe Biden’s criticism of liberals. politics and mainstream media. They were always presented in front of crowds of supporters.

He attracted considerable national attention at the beginning coronavirus pandemic through his open opposition to lockdowns and the mandatory use of masks and vaccines. He seemed to demonstrate a willingness to enter into almost any discussion that provoked cultural polarization.

His relentless militant stance and ability to manipulate the power of state government at will brought DeSantis to the attention of the Republican Party’s top donors and made him the former president’s natural successor. Donald Trump in the minds of some Republican voters.

Politically, the storm temporarily silenced much of the campaign’s harsh rhetoric and provided a platform for DeSantis to create a unifying tone as a competent crisis manager, able to bypass the “culture warrior” and work with rivals like the president. Joe Biden in response efforts.

A win would no doubt spark further speculation about DeSantis’ potential presidential candidacy. So far, he has evaded questions about his possible Washington aspirations, dodging the question repeatedly during his only campaign debate with Krist in late October.

Trump, who is often credited with promoting DeSantis to a first term as governor, is about to enter a third presidential race and was disappointed by DeSantis’ refusal to pull out of the 2024 campaign, according to sources close to Trump.

On Monday, Trump told Fox News that DeSantis could “seriously injure himself” running for president. Trump suggested that he reveal things about DeSantis “that wouldn’t be very flattering” and also said he was not in an “argument” with the governor.

DeSantis managed to raise significantly more money than Christ, a 66-year-old Democrat who previously served as Republican governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011. Krist aimed his candidacy at moderate voters in Florida by criticizing DeSantis as a bully.

Krist resigned his seat in Congress to run for governor this year, but has been forced to fend off campaign taunts over the various positions he has held for decades in Florida politics. In a short speech, Krist congratulated DeSantis and thanked supporters, saying that his political career has been “an absolute blessing.”

Democrats are facing significant challenges in what was until recently considered a “swing state” but which has shifted to the right. Trump won the state twice, and Republicans were actively organizing locally and making sustained efforts to register voters.

Last year, the Republican Party won more registered voters in the state than Democrats for the first time in modern history, and then continued to widen the gap in November.

Dealing a major blow to Democrats on Election Night, DeSantis won in rugged Miami-Dade County, becoming the first Republican to do so in two decades. The Governor gave special thanks to the county during his victory speech.

The economy has greatly influenced the minds of Florida voters. Three-quarters of them said they think things are going in the wrong direction in the country, according to AP VoteCast, a broad poll of more than 3,300 voters in the state./AP