A Day with DeSantis

As already hinted, the middle of my week was a visit to Tallahassee to meet Gov. Ron DeSantis and several of his senior staff, followed by dinner with the governor and Florida’s first lady Casey DeSantis at the Governor’s Mansion in the evening. I was along with a small group of our friends at the Claremont Institute, which is launching a special project in Florida, at the governor’s encouragement, and planting Scott Yenor (a previous Power Line podcast guest) as their man on the scene.

Ryan Williams, the “Lord Commander” of Claremont, with the Governor and First Lady

Although this visit is a matter of public record—Casey DeSantis tweeted her enthusiastic welcome afterward and an official photo (below) was released—our extensive conversations were off the record, so I won’t disclose any specific things the governor and his senior staff had to say, but instead limit myself to some general impressions that anyone can make out if they pay careful attention to Gov. DeSantis’s words and deeds. (Although I will mention one detail: a lively conversation with the first lady about the joys of python hunting in the Everglades.)

I’m out of frame in this pic (somewhere to Michael Anton’s right), but probably making a point.

We met first with the governor, the first lady, a few of his senior staff, and two key leaders from the state legislature in the afternoon, where the governor stayed more than twice the time scheduled for us. We resumed with cocktails and then dinner in the formal dining room at the governor’s mansion, where energetic discussion picked up where it left off in the afternoon. (The governor drinks whisky—Macallan—by the way. A very good sign.)

A summary:

First, there was zero talk of presidential politics. Our conversations were entirely focused on policy matters at a very granular level, usually proceeding several steps up the ladder to the fine points of the issue, whether it was campus wokery, immigration, health care, the environment, and even Florida’s difficult property insurance problems. Needless to say, this means we did not spend a single moment discussing Trump or any of that drama.

That said, it is clear that Gov. DeSantis has a deep grasp of the difficulties and divisions in the Republican Party and the conservative movement, and his own disposition about these matters is refreshing and sound.

Second, both the governor and the first lady are extremely energetic. And it is clear they do their homework. On every issue, Gov. DeSantis was completely conversant with the fine grain details. He is a clearly a policy wonk, but with the added crucial dimension that he understands the fundamental political principle at work. He understands the nature of the administrative state and the threat it poses to constitutional government. He has plenty to say on the issues, but also asks good questions and listens carefully to the answers. (This was clear over dinner when he came back to follow up on specific things we brought up in the afternoon.) I’ll add that his senior staff present at both meetings are very impressive.

Third, on the subject of campus wokery which was a major focus of our discussions, he shows a clarity and determination quite rare among Republican governors around the country. He reviewed the whole story of New College, which is just starting to unfold, and the recent controversy over the AP African-American History curriculum. It is evident that he is not going to settle for half-measures or easy compromises.

One thing we did not talk about, with the partial exception of a couple of specific China-related matters that fall under state jurisdiction, is foreign policy. Interested readers should see Colin Dueck’s article out today at the National Interest on “The DeSantis Doctrine Abroad.”

Conclusion: DeSantis is the real deal. He was at ease immediately with a group of voluble strangers, displayed none of the ego or self-regard that so often attaches to governors (or senators, or. . .), and is utterly fearless, all of which adds up to a person in command of his political domain. As Churchill reminded us, it is not possible to guarantee success; it is only possible to deserve it. DeSantis deserves it. I did remark at one point that “I’m starting to make out a data set of standout leading Republican figures named ‘Ron.'” (Keep in mind that DeSantis was born in 1978, and thus belongs to what I sometimes call “The Generation That Knew Not Ron.”)

I’ll have more to say about this perhaps on this week’s Three Whisky Happy Hour podcast that will be out tomorrow morning, which the gang will be recording this evening at . . . happy hour.