Time Magazine: DeSantis’ style makes him a national influencer

'While the Beltway crowd may not like his style, it’s his record that will become his legacy.'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to make his mark nationally, the latest example being one of the most prestigious placements in mainstream media.

DeSantis, who often decries the legacy, corporate press, was recognized by arguably the prime example of the genre this week, with Time Magazine honoring the first-term Republican Governor as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2022.

DeSantis, whose calling card has been a legacy of conservative, disruptive reforms, was sympathetically contextualized by a previous Republican Governor known for his own willingness to shake up the status quo.

“While the Beltway crowd may not like his style, it’s his record that will become his legacy,” wrote former Gov. Jeb Bush.

Bush’s blurb supporting DeSantis highlights the Governor’s willingness to carry on despite critics and naysayers.

“During the pandemic, most people stayed home, and those who didn’t probably moved to Florida. Despite relentless criticism, Gov. Ron DeSantis kept schools open, ensured Florida’s economy remained open for business, and allowed individuals to determine their own risk tolerance,” Bush asserted, writing that DeSantis’ approach “works.”

“It’s one that has allowed Florida to emerge from the pandemic as a national model of personal freedom, economic growth, environmental protection, and education excellence.”

Bush extolled Florida’s performance on a number of key metrics, while lauding the Governor’s commitment to environmental reform.

“Florida continues to see record population growth, unemployment remains below the national average, the private sector is growing, and Florida remains a national leader in school choice. On top of that, DeSantis has demonstrated his environmental credentials with major investments to restore America’s Everglades, preserve and expand wildlife corridors, and protect Florida’s precious waterways.”

Critics on the Left will chop this up, but for those who believe DeSantis is the future of the Republican Party, the conservative movement, or both, it’s clear the national media is starting to take notice of Florida’s DeSantis-era public policy approach.

While the Beltway tries to belittle his influence, the governor has turned to a baseball-themed campaign to fight off the attacks.

Long before entering politics, DeSantis was an accomplished baseball player. He learned the game in the Sunshine State, complete with a trip to the Little League World Series. DeSantis would eventually take the diamond for Yale University.

DeSantis is in a different field of play now, standing in the batter’s box at press conferences most days, as pitch after pitch comes in from the situational hurlers of the Florida media.

In a new promotional effort for his re-election campaign, the Governor yet again turns the tables on his adversaries in the working press and uses the baseball motif to frame the narrative and, perhaps, to cull more donations for what has been a dynamic fundraising push thus far for the re-election bid.

The digital spot begins with an announcer's voice: “The corporate media’s been throwing curveballs all day long, but they can’t get anything past this batter.”

Indeed, the DeSantis on display dispatches his media adversaries, launching zingers and dingers at corporate press ringers over a hard-rocking soundtrack loop.

“It’s why people don’t trust people like you, because you peddle false narratives,” DeSantis asserted to one luckless journalist in this collection of clips.

“These are smear merchants,” the Governor groused at another event. “That’s why nobody trusts corporate media.”

While the trust of corporate media may be in doubt, what’s assured is DeSantis has a collection of merchandise ready to match this spot.

A set of 500 “limited edition Gov. DeSantis classic baseball cards” is available, with each one costing $49.99. Quantities are capped at three on the website form.

For those who want more of a personal touch, an auction is still in process for autographed cards.

The auction concludes Friday, May 27, at 11:59 p.m. or until the maximum bid of $3,000 is reached, whichever is sooner.

DeSantis, who is increasingly becoming a national figure, continues to dominate the fundraising race against potential Democratic challengers. Gimmicks like this will only help to keep that trend going.

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at AG@FloridaPolitics.com or on Twitter: @AGGancarski.