RD
Ron DeSantis
RepublicanGovernor of Florida| Age | 47 (b. 1978-09-14) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2019-01-01 (~7 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (Italian-American) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | B.A. in History, Yale University, 2001; J.D., Harvard Law School, 2005 |
| Prior occupation | U.S. Navy JAG officer; Assistant U.S. Attorney (Middle District of Florida); briefly taught at a prep school before law school |
| Military service | Yes: U.S. Navy / U.S. Navy Reserve (Lieutenant Commander (JAG Corps)) |
| Birthplace | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Languages | English |
| Marital status | Married — Casey DeSantis (née Jill Casey Black) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Florida Governor's Mansion, 700 N Adams St, Tallahassee, Florida |
Pending research: notable relatives · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2012 |
| Previous offices | U.S. Representative, Florida's 6th Congressional District (2013–2019) |
| Caucuses | House Freedom Caucus (founding member, 2015) |
| Leadership | Vice Chairman, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Civil Justice (114th Congress) · Chairman, House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security (114th Congress) |
| Ideology | Founding member of House Freedom Caucus; Heritage Action lifetime score ~88%; Voteview DW-NOMINATE places him more conservative than 94% of the 115th House and 88% of House Republicans |
| Signature legislation | Parental Rights in Education Act (HB 1557, signed March 28, 2022) — banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in K–3 · Individual Freedom Act / Stop WOKE Act (HB 7, signed April 22, 2022) — restricts critical race theory instruction in K–12 schools and mandatory workplace diversity training · HB 1557 expansion (signed May 17, 2023) — extended 'Don't Say Gay' restrictions through 8th grade and banned gender-affirming care for minors |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $2,087,550–$2,087,550 (2024) · estimate
| USAA checking and savings accounts | other · $573,109–$573,109 · 2024 |
| Interactive Brokers savings account | other · $1,310,000–$1,310,000 · 2024 |
| Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement) | fund · $99,803–$99,803 · 2024 |
| Florida Retirement System | fund · $116,859–$116,859 · 2024 |
Top donors: Republican Governors Association ($17.4 million (2022 cycle)) · Robert Bigelow (individual) ($10 million (2022 cycle)) · Ken Griffin (Citadel CEO) ($5 million (2022 cycle))
Top industries: Finance/Securities/Investment · Real Estate · Lawyers/Law Firms · Retired · Health Care
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — Florida Commission on Ethics Dismisses Golf Simulator and Private Jet Travel Gift Complaints
The Florida Commission on Ethics investigated two complaints alleging Gov. DeSantis failed to disclose gifts on his required financial disclosure forms: (1) a complaint by the Campaign Legal Center that he failed to report free private-jet air travel arranged by the nonprofit And To The Republic for roughly a dozen 2023 speaking engagements in eight states, and (2) a complaint by Sarasota resident Victor Obringer alleging he failed to report a $28,000 golf simulator given to the Governor's Mansion by Daytona Beach developer Morteza Hosseini. On June 26, 2024, the Commission voted unanimously to find no probable cause on both matters, concluding the golf simulator was state property rather than a personal gift and that the flights qualified as honoraria for speaking engagements rather than reportable travel gifts. The ruling, made in a closed session, was announced publicly in early August 2024. Government-accountability observers raised conflict-of-interest concerns because the Commission's chair was married to a former DeSantis chief of staff turned lobbyist, and her law firm had billed the governor's office over $1 million for legal work around the same period.
resolved — American Oversight Public Records Lawsuit — Settlement for Unlawful Delay
Government watchdog American Oversight sued Gov. DeSantis's office in 2024 alleging a pattern of unlawful delay in responding to Florida public records requests, with 12 outstanding requests pending between 11 months and three years. The DeSantis office settled the lawsuit, agreeing to release records. Among records eventually produced were calendars and communications central to the Hope Florida scandal. The DeSantis office did not admit wrongdoing.