25 Things To Know About the Former Presidential Hopeful Ron DeSantis

Florida governor Ron DeSantis has rarely been out of the headlines over the past few years, following his reelection to the Florida governorship, his much-publicized feud with Disney, and later his quest to become Republican leader for the US presidency. His presidential ambition and subsequent race to the Republican candidacy in 2024 opened debate about DeSantis' public persona — so who is Ron DeSantis?

1. He Is a Florida Man

Ronald Dion DeSantis was born in Jacksonville, Florida, to parents Karen and Ronald on Sept. 14, 1978. He shares the same birthplace as Eagles singer Ronnie Van Sandt, pop singer Pat Boone, and Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. DeSantis had three sisters and grew up in a 1,500-square-foot ranch house in Dunedin.

2. He Has Italian-American Heritage

All of Ron DeSantis' great-grandparents were born in Italy. Curiously, a Palm Beach Post story reveals his maternal great-grandfather, Antonio Ruggerio, changed his name to Antonio Rogers after arriving in America. All of DeSantis' great-grandparents came to America during the first Italian diaspora in the 20th century.

3. He Is Working Class

Contrary to what some people think, DeSantis was raised in a hardworking Catholic household. His mother was a nurse, while his father worked for Nielsen installing TV-rating boxes, a curious market analysis device installed for measuring TV attendance ratings.

4. Midwest Values Raised Him

DeSantis wrote in his book, The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival, how his parents' Midwest background translated into his Floridian upbringing.

“I was geographically raised in Tampa Bay,” writes the Florida governor. “Culturally, my upbringing reflected the working-class communities in Western Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio.”

5. He Is Highly Intelligent

After graduating from Catholic grade school, DeSantis attended Dunedin High School in Pinellas County, where the Florida Governor was a top student-athlete. Moreover, stories have emerged about how smart DeSantis was as a student — he scored in the 99th percentile on his SATs at Dunedin High.

6. He Made the Little League World Series

DeSantis was a talented baseball player whose father, Ronald, invested many hours coaching him. He once explained in a New Yorker article, “I must have thrown a half-million pitches to Ron, and I think he swung at about 500 of them.” In 1991, his son would get to the Little League World Series, where he struck out 11 Saudi Arabian batters and scored a home run. His team finished in sixth place.

7. He Pledged George Bush's Fraternity

At Yale, DeSantis pledged the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, putting his name alongside notable alumni such as former presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, and George Bush — Senior and Junior. DeSantis' former frat buddies, nicknamed “Fight Club,” rallied around their college friend during his presidential run, raising $5.5 million for his campaign.

8. Campus Leftism Shaped His Views

DeSantis has always been skeptical about his alma mater and has criticized Yale in many interviews for its harboring of communist rhetoric and leftist activism, “Man, when you got into that classroom, (it was) attacking religion, attacking people who believed, attacking God,” DeSantis once told conservative pundit Ben Shapiro.

9. Ronald Reagan Was His Hero

In his book, DeSantis speaks about his political inspiration, citing President Ronald Reagan as an influence. Some detractors feel DeSantis models himself on Reagan's style, which would not offend the Floridian.

“When Reagan came on the scene, the country lost confidence in Carter,” he told a Wisconsin radio show. “They were willing to go in a different direction. I think we're in the same place with Biden.”

10. He Met Bush in His Senior Year

While captain of Yale's baseball team, the former Rookie of the Year and all-Ivy outfielder met former President George W. Bush. The 41st president, also a former Yale baseball captain, visited the university when DeSantis was captain. DeSantis reportedly told his teammates not to embarrass him.

11. He Was Once a Teacher

After DeSantis graduated from Yale, he became a teacher at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia. The prep school saw him teach Civil War and American history in addition to coaching sports. DeSantis was renowned for hanging out at senior parties, though his reputation was good.

In an interview, a student praised his former mentor. “He was definitely one of the cooler guys,” says the Darlington alum. “There were other young teachers who tried to be everybody's friend who didn't have nearly his mystique.”

12. He Worked at Guantanamo Bay

DeSantis went to Harvard to study for a law doctorate and, while at school, joined the Navy, where he qualified as a naval judge. After a while, he transferred from Florida to the US Homeland Security detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, providing legal advice to both staff and detainees. Reports from some detainees allege that DeSantis was present during interrogation sessions — a charge the New York Times debunked and DeSantis denied.

13. He Is a Golf Fan

DeSantis grew up near Florida's Dunedin Golf Club, and his whole family loves golf, including his son, Mason. In 2021, DeSantis was quoted on West Palm Beach News (WPTV) saying how Mason was “three years old and already has a better swing than his old man.” Ever the romantic, DeSantis met future wife Casey on a driving range. 

14. He Was Married at Disney World

DeSantis married his wife Casey at Disney World — an event some might see as ironic, considering DeSantis' highly volatile feud with the Disney corporation over his stance on public schools' book policy. Furthermore, his marriage license is registered in the Disney-governed city, Lake Buena Vista, in Central Florida.

15. His Book Mocked Obama

Before running for Congress, DeSantis wrote a 286-page memoir about the political age of Barack Obama. He even named the book mockingly like Obama's book Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, instead calling it Dreams from Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama. Curiously, Business Insider said in 2022 that his book had only sold 125 copies. In contrast, his 2023 book was number one on Amazon.

16. He Co-Founded the Freedom Caucus

In 2012, DeSantis was elected to Congress in a new district with strong Republican registrations and Tea Party affiliations. During his 2014 and 2016 tenure, DeSantis joined Ohio's Jim Jordan and others to found the Freedom Caucus, a staunchly conservative caucus. Founding member Mick Mulvaney once told reporter Ryan Lizza the group's working title was the “Reasonable Nutjob Caucus.”

17. He Voted Against Hurricane Sandy Aid

When Hurricane Sandy made landfall at Brigantine, New Jersey, in 2012, the storm caused an incredible $70 billion in damage. However, voting records show that Florida congressman Marco Rubio and a newly-elected Ron DeSantis both voted against federal aid for the affected northern states. DeSantis argued, “Allowing the program to increase its debt by another $9.7 billion with no plan to offset the spending with cuts elsewhere is not fiscally responsible.”

18. He Doesn't Want Friends in Politics

In a 2020 Politico interview, former Michigan congressman David Trott informed Politico's “Playbook” how he felt about Governor Ron DeSantis. “I don't think he cares about people,” said Trott. DeSantis confirmed in a separate Politico interview how he wasn't in politics to make friends. Onetime Florida congresswoman Gwen Graham once revealed how he wore earbuds on the House floor so he could avoid talking to people.

19. He Broke Election Records

Florida came out to vote in 2022's Midterm elections in force for DeSantis, who won his gubernatorial vote by a 59.4% landslide. His nearest rival was Democrat candidate Charlie Crist, who managed 40% of the vote. DeSantis now holds the Florida record for the largest election margin in a governor's race.

20. His Sister Died Young

In 2015, DeSantis' only sibling, Christina Marie DeSantis, lost her life to a pulmonary embolism after she suffered a stroke. In a revealing Piers Morgan Uncensored interview, DeSantis discussed her passing. “You have your sibling; their future was robbed, and it's something I wish I could get back,” said an emotional DeSantis. “And you just have to have faith that there's a plan in place, (and) trust in God.”

21. His Children's Names Have the Same Initial

Governor DeSantis has three children, each with a name beginning with “M.” Madison was born in 2016, Mason in 2018, and Mamie in 2020. Incidentally, each birth year coincided with a presidential or midterm election year, including the year DeSantis was elected Florida governor.

22. He Helped Liberal Causes

Far from the public persona bestowed on DeSantis by the mainstream press, his first year as Florida governor resulted in progressive gains for the opposition. DeSantis legalized medical marijuana, increased teachers' salaries, and invested in the restoration of the Everglades National Park. Moreover, DeSantis retroactively pardoned the “Groveland Four,” a group of black men imprisoned incorrectly in the Jim Crow era of 1949.

23. He Sold Golf Products During Reelection

When DeSantis was reelected in his 2022 Midterm election landslide win, DeSantis promoted customized Ron DeSantis golf accessory gift packs. The double entendre on the product‘s marketing alluded to his stance on freedom during the COVID-19 pandemic, and profits from the joke gift went toward his reelection campaign.

24. Florida Has Become More Red in His Tenure

Florida was one of the few American states with more relaxed policies during the pandemic lockdowns. This stance was popular with America's Republican and Libertarian supporters, many of whom moved to Florida. Before DeSantis became governor, registered Democrat voters outnumbered registered Republican voters by over 225,000. Now, Florida has 338,000 more Republicans than Democrats.

25. He Has Several Nicknames

Perhaps the most famous nickname for DeSantis comes from his former ally, President Donald Trump, who labeled him “Ron Sanctimonious” in a 2023 Fox News video. Trump also gave him a brief “Meatball Ron” moniker, though when announcing he was running against DeSantis for the 2024 Republican candidate race, Trump said he would not use it.