DeSantis Visits NYC, Speaks at Pro-Law Enforcement Rally Amid Potential Presidential Run

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves as he speaks to police officers about protecting law and order in the Staten Island borough of New York City on Feb. 20, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at a pro-law enforcement event held in a catering hall in Staten Island, New York, this morning, amid speculations he would run for president.

DeSantis’s President’s Day appearance in the New York state comes months after his last trip in October 2022, when he was there to campaign for Republican Lee Zeldin during the 2022 gubernatorial race. Zeldin was also present at the Staten Island event today.

Staten Island is the only borough in the deep-blue New York City that backed former President Donald Trump during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

DeSantis’s Speech

DeSantis began his speech by touting Florida’s accomplishments in net migration rate, new business formations, education freedom, parental involvement in education, and GDP growth in his tenure as governor.

“We have one of the lowest per capita tax burdens in the country, one of the lowest per capita debt burdens in the country... a record budget surplus ... that ... our unemployment rate 2.5 percent—that’s over a percentage point lower than the nation as a whole,” the Floridan governor said.

“The foundation of Florida’s success has been a commitment to law and order and support for the men and women who wear the uniform,” he said.

The governor then took a swipe at government prosecutors who subscribe to the “woke agenda”—colloquially, ideology centered on identity politics—and said they have been “aiding and abetting” public disorder and by doing so are “hugely detrimental to the safety and security” of Americans.

“So in Florida, we made that very clear that we were not going to tolerate prosecutors putting themselves above the law,” DeSantis said, recalling the time he fired a state attorney who allegedly refused to prosecute violators of abortion laws in Florida.

Potential Run

In addition to his increasing appearances in states outside of Florida, the governor has shown an increasing tendency to weigh in on national-level issues, such as chairmanship of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Russia–Ukraine war.

When asked about his decision about a presidential bid on Fox News on Monday, DeSantis said the decision would come after Florida’s legislative session wraps up in May 2023.

“We’re going to sell some books, we’re going to spread the message of Florida. And then on March 8, I have our Legislative Session that’s kicking off,” DeSantis said. "So those are what we’re going to be doing over these next few months as we get beyond that, then we can decide from there.”

Former President Donald Trump declared his candidacy for 2024 in November 2022.

Trump in the past few weeks has accused DeSantis of being a RINO (Republican in Name Only), criticized DeSantis’s alleged opposition to medicare, and said DeSantis is trying to “rewrite” the “history” of Florida’s COVID response.

DeSantis did not directly address Trump’s criticisms when asked at a press conference on Feb. 8; the governor said he’s instead focused on countering the Biden administration.

“I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida, and fighting against Joe Biden, that’s how I spend my time. I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans,” he said.

Current polls generally show Trump would perform better than DeSantis in a head-to-head matchup and in relative performance against Democratic candidates. A recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll shows Trump to lead DeSantis 46–23 in percentage points in a hypothetical matchup in the 2024 Republican primary.