Floridians wait to see which version of Ron DeSantis returns from the presidential campaign trail

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis first took office in 2019, he surprised many with actions indicating he’d be a much more moderate leader than anticipated: He corrected a decades-old racial injustice, took the side of medical marijuana supporters over GOP leaders and hired a liberal Democrat for a key state position.

[Oh, I forgot about that one in bold. I was impressed and wrote about it here. That was impressive.]

But then he set his eyes on the White House and veered far to the right as he rolled to a 2022 reelection blowout and entered the presidential race. His message was loud and relentless and focused on how he had beaten down the “woke mob”... 

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In the last three years, DeSantis built his national reputation through a well-publicized fight with Disney World over anti-LGBTQ+ legislation; his effort to limit discussions on race and inclusion; and his work with conservatives to keep the themes of gender identity and sexual orientation out of classrooms and school libraries.

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Not even Republicans dared stand up to his iron-fisted governing style for fear of being punished.

…which DeSantis will Floridians see? It’s a question Tallahassee insiders are speculating about…

[It’s a very good question that I thought got answered emphatically after his bright start. He went rogue, trying to out-Trump Trump. Three years or three early decisions? I would be gabbersmocked if he see 2019 DeSantis, and not at all impressed.]