How would Ron DeSantis govern at the federal level?

(NewsNation) — As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to tout his legislative record as part of a nationwide Florida Blueprint tour, many will be left wondering how the headline-grabbing Republican will govern should he run for federal office.

With a GOP supermajority in the state legislature, DeSantis has leaned into culture war issues around education and immigration, even locking horns with iconic American companies such as Disney.

It’s unlikely he’d have that sort of control at the next level, but GOP experts don’t expect him to soften his approach.

“It’s better for him not to temper his message,” said John Feehery, a GOP strategist and columnist at The Hill. “It’s better to make big plans and try to get as much done as possible in a very closely divided Washington.”

Boyd Matheson — host of “Inside Sources” for KSL News Radio and former chief of staff to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah — thinks DeSantis could usher in a new era of federalism where states are empowered to make their own decisions.

“If California wants to do it that way, that’s great, let them go at it,” he said, describing an approach DeSantis could take. “If Utah wants to do it this way or Florida wants to do it that way … let the laboratories of democracy work.”

He thinks Americans on both sides of the aisle are warming up to the idea, though it remains to be seen whether DeSantis will continue to champion states’ rights when he’s no longer in charge of one.

DeSantis versus Disney

Perhaps no showdown better reflects DeSantis’ “anti-elite” brand of politics than his ongoing feud with The Walt Disney Company. The Florida governor recently signed a law reorganizing Disney World’s unique company-controlled government as retaliation after the American entertainment giant publicly opposed his “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which some critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” law, last year.

The face-off has drawn criticism from some in the GOP, a party that tends to favor pro-business policies over government intervention.

On Tuesday, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie knocked DeSantis over his back-and-forth with Disney, accusing him of not being a “conservative” after getting the government involved.

But Feehery thinks Christie is the one that seems out of touch. He says DeSantis’ anti-establishment posture is more in line with Republican attitudes in 2023.

“The working class doesn’t necessarily march to the drum of the C-suite,” he said. “Policies matter, but the ability to be a fighter for the people is what matters more.”

In that regard, Feehery expects DeSantis to continue advocating for his values while carefully picking his corporate battles moving forward.

Immigration

In September, the Florida governor made national headlines after he sent planes carrying migrants to the small, affluent island of Martha’s Vineyard.

DeSantis’ office said the flights were part of the state’s “relocation program” to send migrants to “sanctuary destinations.” It was a strategy that drew sharp criticism from Democrats and resulted in multiple lawsuits.

Despite the pushback, the tactic received overwhelming support from Republicans (87%), according to a CBS/YouGov poll. Independents were more divided, with 48% in favor and 52% opposed.

A little over a month later, DeSantis won reelection by nearly 20 points, leading many pundits to declare a “red wave” in Florida, a place that until recently was considered a swing state.

Now, Florida’s GOP-controlled legislature is considering DeSantis-backed legislation that would toughen the state’s immigration laws.

The new measures — which some have called the most far-reaching immigration legislation since Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 in 2010 — would invalidate out-of-state licenses issued to undocumented migrants.

The legislation would also make it a felony to transport or hide undocumented immigrants and require employers to e-verify the legal status of new employees, among other changes.

Both GOP experts expect DeSantis to prioritize border security as part of his presumed presidential bid.

Recent polling suggests members of both political parties are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the level of immigration into the U.S., though it remains to be seen whether DeSantis’ approach will resonate with the broader American public.

Matheson thinks immigration could be an area where states take a more active role, pointing to a recent op-ed piece in which Utah’s GOP Gov. Spencer Cox called for states to sponsor immigrants as a way to attract new residents.

Education

DeSantis has signed a number of laws pushing back against what he calls “woke” ideology in education.

Last spring, the Florida governor signed a bill that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. On Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education extended that ban to grades 4 through 12, at DeSantis’ request.

He also signed legislation dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act,” which blocks instruction that says members of one race are inherently racist or should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race, among other things. A federal judge in Florida has since blocked that law.

The state’s public universities have also become a focus for the Florida governor, who has called for a return to curriculum that teaches “the values of liberty and the Western tradition.”

In January, he announced plans to block state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and critical race theory. The proposal would prohibit higher education institutions from using DEI statements in the hiring process and allow universities to conduct post-tenure reviews of faculty at any time for cause.

At the federal level, Feehery thinks DeSantis would dismantle a number of related policies within the Department of Education — an extension of the Florida governor’s desire to “eliminate politicized bureaucracies.”

DeSantis recently signed legislation in favor of “school choice,” which allows all K-12 students in the state to get taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools. It’s a policy many education advocates fear could drain money out of public schools.

As of today, former President Donald Trump is still polling well ahead of the Florida governor for the 2024 Republican nomination, though DeSantis has yet to announce his bid. Among Florida Republicans, however, DeSantis leads Trump, 44% to 39%.