Florida Governor Ron DeSantis easily wins reelection

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis easily won reelection Tuesday, as multiple news outlets called the race with unexpected ease as the night's vote-counting began.

DeSantis, who was initially elected in 2018 by an extremely narrow margin over Andrew Gillum, had a much easier time in 2022 against Democrat Charlie Crist, who has formerly lost statewide races as a Republican, an independent, and a Democrat and who is widely unpopular statewide due to his transparent political opportunism.

DeSantis' reelection campaign was viewed by many as a trial balloon for a potential 2024 presidential campaign after DeSantis established himself as a national figure by bucking restrictive federal COVID guidance issued by former President Donald Trump's COVID czar, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Under DeSantis' guidance, Florida was among the first states to insist on sending children back to public schools for in-person learning and to reject vaccine and mask mandates.

These policies, which have since been adopted virtually nationwide, earned him the ire of the vast majority of the national media, who frequently invited Fauci on television to rebuke him. However, they made him a national celebrity with conservatives who chafed under Fauci's policies and contradictory messages.

DeSantis also garnered national attention by championing legislation that prevented sexually explicit instruction for children grades K-3, which was falsely labeled the "Don't Say Gay" law by Democrats and their allies in the media. DeSantis made parental rights in education a cornerstone of his reelection campaign, repeatedly hitting on the issue on the stump and in debates.

DeSantis' easy victory also broke the trend of Republican candidates underperforming some expectations on election night.

DeSantis' victory elevates the chance of a potential 2024 primary matchup with former President Trump, who appeared to take a swipe at DeSantis at a recent campaign event, calling him "DeSanctimonious." DeSantis, who has thus far refused to criticize or comment upon the former president's remarks, is said to be seriously considering the possibility of a challenge to Trump, who initially appointed Fauci to head his coronavirus task force and who kept him in that position until the end of his presidency.