Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis writes he believes a Republican can win the presidential nomination in landslide fashion, like he did in Florida in 2022, by following his blueprint for success.
In excerpts of his autobiography, "The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival," set to be published Tuesday, DeSantis wrote he was able to turn his close election victory in 2018, by just above 30,000 votes, to a 19-point victory in 2022 by "taking the political road less traveled."
"We spent four years ignoring polls, setting out my vision for the state, successfully implementing that vision, and producing tangible results," DeSantis wrote, according to The Washington Examiner.
DeSantis also succeeded by challenging "woke" elected officials and corporations, giving parents a greater say in public education and keeping government limited. He also pushed back against the media, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was widely criticized for keeping his state open while most every other state shut down and closed schools.
"We stood our ground. We did not back down. Clearly, our administration was substantively consequential," he wrote. "To be successful, a leader must be willing to take these hits. It is not always easy, especially when so many of the attacks are blatant lies, but this is simply the price one must pay for exercising leadership. It is a price worth paying."
DeSantis is widely expected to throw his hat into the ring for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. So far, only former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have declared their candidacies in what eventually should be a crowded primary field.