Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seems to be cementing his stance as a distinguished Republican chief forward of 2024 as different purple states mimic the Sunshine State's insurance policies.

DeSantis has been main the cost on a number of GOP priorities, together with the coronavirus pandemic, vital race concept and LGBTQ points.

"He is clearly probably the most high-profile Republican governor within the nation," Brad Coker, the director at Mason-Dixon Polling and Technique in Florida, informed Newsweek. "Nobody else has his degree of nationwide protection, and he is the focal point in Florida."

The Florida chief was one of many first within the nation to start reopening their economies, prompting different Republican officers to observe go well with. Not solely did DeSantis reopen his state sooner than different areas, however he additionally pushed again exhausting on masks mandates and vaccine passports. Final yr, DeSantis ordered masks necessities in faculties be banned—an motion taken by Texas officers not lengthy after.

Most just lately, DeSantis has made headlines for signing a controversial invoice dubbed by critics as "Do not Say Homosexual." The regulation prevents sexual orientation and gender identification from being taught to the state's youngest college students.

Lower than a month after being accepted by DeSantis, the laws is being replicated by different purple states. Earlier this month, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed two anti-LGBTQ payments into regulation. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick mentioned he plans to make a invoice much like Florida's new regulation a high precedence on the subsequent session. Ohio lawmakers are additionally contemplating banning faculties from educating about sexual orientation or gender identification to college students from kindergarten by third grade.

"When a hot-button challenge arises within the tradition wars, DeSantis has typically discovered a means to make use of his place as governor to point out the general public his values," Mark Weaver, an Ohio-based Republican strategist, informed Newsweek.

DeSantis has constantly skilled approval rankings within the mid-50s, Coker famous. The governor is working for re-election in 2022, and strategists say he is prone to win one other time period because the state's high official.

"I see different governors in harder races making an attempt to place themselves as DeSantis has," Coker mentioned.

Whereas DeSantis has disregarded questions of a possible 2024 run for the White Home, polls present him main the Republican subject as long as former President Donald Trump does not run for the nomination. In contrast to practically all different rumored 2024 hopefuls, the governor has not mentioned he will not launch a marketing campaign if Trump does resolve to hunt one other shot on the presidency.

"DeSantis is being cautious to place his re-election marketing campaign earlier than any presidential marketing campaign," Weaver mentioned. "However it's simple to see that if Trump have been to bow out in 2024, then DeSantis could be the fast frontrunner."

DeSantis's newest fundraising haul additionally confirmed his star energy inside the GOP. In response to figures filed with the Florida secretary of state, DeSantis acquired a complete of $109.869 million in donations final yr.

DeSantis Solidifies 2024 Stance
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seems to be solidifying his 2024 stance as different purple states mimic his insurance policies. On this photograph, DeSantis speaks on the Conservative Political Motion Convention (CPAC) at The Rosen Shingle Creek on February 24, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Joe Raedle/GETTY IMAGES

However not all these within the GOP assume that DeSantis' insurance policies needs to be emulated.

"Sadly for the Republican Celebration, he is additionally governing in a means that may damage it in the long run," political strategist Susan Del Percio informed Newsweek.

Del Percio known as the so-called "Do not Say Homosexual" payments "dangerous governance and dangerous coverage."

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, additionally a Republican, was additionally just lately vital of DeSantis's management. Hogan informed CNN the Florida laws was "absurd" and wouldn't be one thing that might occur in his state.

"Clearly, different governors and state legislatures are solely doing this with their political pursuits in thoughts," Del Percio mentioned. "These are divisive, ugly items of laws solely meant to assist politicians win primaries."