Florida Gov. DeSantis addresses campaign promises in his inauguration

In his first words as Florida’s 46th governor, Ron DeSantis echoed his campaign promise: to tackle Southwest Florida’s water crisis head-on.

“I will lead the efforts to save our waterways,” DeSantis said. “We will fight toxic blue-green algae; we will fight discharges from Lake Okeechobee; we will fight red tide.”

Bonita Springs Mayor Peter Simmons was one of roughly a thousand people who attended the ceremony Tuesday.

He said he takes the new governor at his word.

Water quality is one of a host of issues that DeSantis promised to take on as governor. Among them is illegal immigration — a trademark talking point of his campaign. It also is the signature issue of his most high profile supporter.

“We will stand for the rule of law,” DeSantis said. “We won’t allow sanctuary cities. And we will stop incentivizing illegal immigration, which is unfair to our legal immigrants, promotes lawlessness and reduces wages for our blue-collar workers.”

DeSantis will now become the youngest governor in the continental U.S. His challenge will be uniting a state that is still harshly divided across partisan lines after a bitter campaign.

“If we meet the challenges that lie before us; if we overcome the tribalism that has dominated our politics; if we set the interests of hard-working taxpayers as our true north,” DeSantis said, “then I have no doubt that the state of Florida will cruise to bright new horizons.”

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Several Lee County students made the trip to Tallahassee to witness history.

The students were in attendance for the inauguration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. But seeing the pomp and circumstance of the inauguration was just part of their experience.

Many of the participants are part of the YMCA’s Youth and Government Program. The students also learned about the Senate and freedom of speech in action.

Members of the dream defenders staged a silent, but eye-catching protest right in front of a big screen showing the governor’s speech.

Still, the students told WINK News they took a lot away from the governor’s message. Mainly his focus on gun violence, school safety and the environment.

It will be interesting to see what kind of legislation these kids will try to bring to Tallahassee in the future.