Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ brief, but pointed, inauguration remarks got the expected partisan reaction as Democrats and Republicans split between praise and sharp criticism.
While DeSantis did not engage fully in the same razor-edged rhetoric that was a hallmark of his re-election campaign, he drew a contrast between Washington D.C., and Florida — repeating familiar criticisms about “woke” ideology.
“In captaining the ship of state, we choose to navigate the boisterous sea of liberty rather than cower in the calm docks of despotism,” DeSantis said during his 16-minute speech. “We face attacks, we take hits, but we weather the storms, we stand our ground, and we do what is right.”
Democrats contended that DeSantis was more interested in scoring partisan points for a potential presidential campaign, rather than offering up suggestions for how to fix the state’s ongoing problems.
“The Governor’s inaugural speech was incredibly boring and contained no new ideas, just MAGA talking points and buzz words,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando. “The only line that got major applause was ‘Florida is where woke goes to die’ which is a line Gov. DeSantis used before. No actual issues that everyday families deal with, like housing affordability, were even mentioned, and the Governor once more avoided talking about abortion and reproductive rights.”
“There are words that could have been used to inspire and I didn’t hear any of them,” added Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a Democrat from Boca Raton.
Republicans praised the start of the Governor’s second term and said they looked forward to working with him in the weeks and months ahead.
“It was an honor to join America’s Governor,” state Sen. Jay Collins said on Twitter. “Looking forward to working together and making sure that Florida remains a beacon of strength, security, and freedom!”
Former Florida Insurance Commissioner (and one-time Republican gubernatorial hopeful) Tom Gallagher gave two thumbs-up when asked his thoughts on DeSantis’ speech.
State Rep. Webster Barnaby said he thought DeSantis’s speech was optimistic and approved of what was called a theme of unity; the Deltona Republican said he stood during the part of the speech where DeSantis referenced “one nation under God.”
Former Gov. Jeb Bush, in comments to POLITICO after the speech, said DeSantis would be a “great alternative” to former President Donald Trump for Republicans in 2024.
“If he runs, he’ll be a great alternative, but I’m not going to prejudge whether he’s running or not,” Bush said. “He’s got a proven record as the Governor of the greatest state.”
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