‘Freedom Lives Here’: Ron DeSantis Sworn In For Second Term As Florida Governor

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis After defeating his Democratic opponent during the 2022 midterm elections, he was sworn into office Tuesday as 46th Governor of the Sunshine State.

DeSantis, 44, a former congressman and U.S. Navy veteran of the war in Iraq, became one of the nation’s most high-profile governors in his first term, which secured his 2022 victory over challenger Charlie Crist with nearly 60% of the vote.

“From the Space Coast to the Sun Coast, from St. Johns to St. Lucie, from the streets of Hialeah to the Speedway in Daytona, from the Okeechobee all the way up to the Micanopy, freedom lives here,” DeSantis claimed in his inaugural addressThis was delivered from the Historic Capitol in Tallahassee.

In his speech, which lasted approximately 15 minutes, DeSantis boasted about his administration’s first-term successes, which he said were made “more difficult by the floundering federal establishment in Washington, D.C.”

DeSantis talked about the successes that brought Americans to Florida, such as lowering taxes, reforming Education, and ending judicial activism. “by appointing jurists who understand the proper role of a judge is to apply the laws written — not legislate from the bench.”

“Over the past few years, as so many states in our country ground their citizens down, we in Florida lifted our people up,” DeSantis said. “When other states consigned their peoples’ freedom to the dustbin, Florida stood strongly as freedom’s linchpin.”

“When the world lost its mind, and common sense suddenly became an uncommon virtue, Florida was a refuge of sanity, a citadel of freedom for our fellow Americans and for people around the world,” He concluded.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida was the fastest growing state in 2022 with an increase in population by 1.9% per year. This resulted in a total population of 22,244,823.

“While Florida has often been among the largest-gaining states,” Kristie Wilder is a Demographer at the Census Bureau’s Population Division. said In a news release “this was the first time since 1957 that Florida has been the state with the largest percent increase in population.”

DeSantis blasted the federal government for adopting pandemic policy based more on ideology than sound science during his inaugural address Tuesday afternoon.

“And this has eroded freedom and stunted commerce,” DeSantis said. “It is recklessly facilitated open borders making a mockery of the rule of law, allowing massive amounts of narcotics to infect our states, importing criminal aliens, and green-lighting the flow of millions of illegal aliens into our country — burdening communities and taxpayers throughout the land.”

The governor said, “it has imposed an energy policy that has crippled our nation’s domestic production,” He said that this has increased the cost of energy and reduced national energy security.

DeSantis continued to criticize cities and states across the nation that embrace these values. “faddish ideology at the expense of enduring principles,” The governor claimed that this harmed public safety and burdened taxpayers. He also imposed medical restrictions. “authoritarianism in the guise of pandemic mandates and restrictions that lack a scientific basis.”

“This bizarre but prevalent ideology that permeates these policy measures purports to act in the name of justice for the marginalized, but it frowns upon American institutions,” He said. “It rejects merit and achievement, and it advocates identity essentialism.”

“We reject this woke ideology,” He concluded. “We seek normalcy, not philosophical lunacy. We will not allow reality, facts, and truth to become optional — we will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die.”

DeSantis, who supported Trump’s predecessor, even though his popularity grew on the 45th commander, and Florida resident, has been cautious about his future plans. He did not mention any possible 2024 Republican presidential run during his speech.

NBC News reported The outlet spoke to Republicans who suggested that it was more a matter when than if the governor would run for the presidency.

DeSantis called the D.C. bureaucracy a sprawling, unaccountable, and out-of-touch authority looming over the American people, producing a dismal and pessimistic view of the country’s future.

However, Florida’s governor said the Sunshine State “is proof positive that We, The People, are not destined for failure.”

“Decline is a choice, success is attainable, and freedom is worth fighting for,” DeSantis said.

Hank Berrien contributed to this article.