"Floriduh!"

That’s what many called it when Esther and I arrived in the Fall of 1990.

Why?

I’ll give you three reasons.

If you fell sick in Florida, you didn’t call a doctor. You called an airline or a travel agent.

Education? The state motto was TGFM, Thank God for Mississippi.

Their schools were the only ones worse than ours.

But we had a specialty: Crime, especially targeting tourists.

The bad guys could tell the rental cars by the stickers on the rear windows.

Rental cars equal tourists.

And we also had Democrats. As a former member of the Confederacy, Florida had a Democratic governor and both legislative houses.

Since statehood in 1845, Florida had had two Republican governors, each for only one term. What changed? Remember the crime issue?

The Republicans were all over it.

Democrats refused to build more prisons.

The Republicans competed with each other for greater punishment of the criminals: three strikes and you’re out, 10-20-Life, and the inevitable Chain Gang Charlie Crist proposal.

The year 1998 was pivotal.

Jeb Bush won the governorship while the anti-crime Republicans won both houses.

Bush immediately established himself as the "Education" governor.

By the year 2000 we had Charter Schools.

Every Tallahassee Republican voted for them. Every Democrat was opposed.

The public took note.

Yours truly served as a volunteer adviser for Palm Beach County’s first charter school.

Gov. Bush Jeb became Florida’s first two-term Republican governor.

Republican Charlie Crist came next.

Crist served one term and then lost a primary for the United States Senate --- to Marco Rubio, now our nation's secretary of state.

Rick Scott, a complete unknown, came next.

Gov. Scott restructured Florida's executive branch made the Sunshine state a place for job-hunters.

Gov. Scott spent eight years bringing two million jobs to Florida, building on our improving education and anti-crime successes.

Subsequently, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., assumed office in 2018, in an election which could be termed a "squeaker."

DeSantis put three justices on the Florida State Supreme Court on day one.

The Sunshine State had arrived.

Our schools were better.

Our crime was much lower and major healthcare facilities were being built.

And, of course, we still had no state income tax and plenty of sunshine.

Gov. DeSantis’ reelection night in 2022 was a celebration trumpeted across the nation.

A star was born.

He won by almost two million votes, despite a lingering 200,000 party registration deficit.

This writer has two significant points to make.

First, any state can be Florida.

No, you can’t borrow our sunshine.

But you can borrow our programs and principles.

Limiting the size of government, empowering parents over their children’s education, lowering (or eliminating) taxes, accommodating business.

Democrats always leave opportunities for Republicans.

And our values create healthier communities than theirs do. (Clue: watch West Virginia).

Remember, it’s not a one-man effort or a one-term dash.

It’s a multi-decade marathon.

You need to be in it for the long haul.

When Gov. DeSantis is termed out in 2026, Florida will have had 28 consecutive years of governors from the GOP.

What about that 200,000-voter registration deficit Governor DeSantis inherited?

It’s now a 1,200,000 Republican advantage.

Second, Florida has transformed itself as the nation’s role model.

And President Donald Trump spends time in South Florida, because he knows a good thing when he sees it!

He knows the players who made Florida great.

Now, everyone knows them: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief-of-Staff Susie Wiles, Mike Waltz, Taylor Budowich, Paul Atkins, John Arrigo, Dr. Janette Nesheiwal, Todd Blanche, and Dr. Dave Weldon.

By the way, Florida-connected ambassadors-to-be include Dan Newlin, Dr. Peter Lamelas, Kimberly Gilfoyle, Somers Farkas, and Charles Kushner.

Additionally, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., has been elevated to chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is now chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association.

The Sunshine State is "Floriduh," no more.

It's become Florida. Call it "America’s Shining State on a Hill."

If America is to become the world’s "Shining Country on a Hill," it will take some 25 years. President 47 is fabulous, but . . . we must get presidents 48, 49, and 50 to be equally so.

At the very least:

• No more George W. Bush-types to give back President Ronald Reagan’s successes.
• No more Mike Pence’s to stand down when needed to stand up.
• Only warriors may apply.
• Only warriors may be on the front lines of battle.

In case you've forgotten, that means us.

Sid Dinerstein is a former chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party. Read Sid Dinerstein's Reports — More Here.