Ron DeSantis: An unexpected winner in Florida’s 2024 elections

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

There were a lot of winners on election night, but the biggest winner was a man who wasn’t even on the ballot.

Ron Desantis spent his time and money to make sure that amendments 3 and 4 did not get the votes they needed. Both amendments did not pass.

Florida’s governor didn’t gloat on X when the numbers rolled in.

He posted:

With that simple post, his supporters knew, DeSantis had won.

“Governor DeSantis’ name wasn’t on the ballot, but he still was a big winner in the Florida 2024 general election,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist with the University of Central Florida. “He put a lot of his own political capital into saying we need to defeat these two things, and in the end, he did.”

Jewett said DeSantis made himself the face in the fight against Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana, and Amendment 4, which would have protected a woman’s right to an abortion at any time, for any reason.

The governor toured the state, held news conferences and blanketed the airwaves with commercials to send a strong “Vote No” message.

Both amendments needed 60% of the vote to pass.

“They did get well over 50%, but in Florida, since you need 60, he was able to win,” said Jewett. “I think specifically this is going to help him, as there is jockeying for position to who is going to be replacing President Trump in four years, right?”

DeSantis wants to be president.

Jewett said this only adds to his political clout with Republican voters nationwide.

Not only did the amendments fail, but a massive red wave swept the Sunshine State.

“In sort of the modern political era of the last 30 years, this was the biggest Republican presidential win in Florida,” said Jewett.

This is an election the governor will be able to use for years to come.

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