When Florida’s political class and well-wishers arrived in Tallahassee to see Governor Ron DeSantis be sworn into office for the second time, they were met with an unprecedented inaugural effort put on by both the legislative office and the political campaign.
Gov. DeSantis’s inaugural event was staged like a presidential event, leading politicos around the country to believe that a run for president for DeSantis is all but assured later this year.
You don’t set up an event like DeSantis’s inauguration, which included barricaded streets, Military cannons, jets, personnel, roof snipers, and a heavy dose of law enforcement if you are NOT considering a run for President of the United States.
You just don’t. This was next-level event planning.
In comparison to his 2018 inauguration, DeSantis pulled out all the stops, spared no expense to make his point, and take a shot at former Republican President Donald Trump.
All of Gov. DeSantis’s loyal staffers and employees had their heads on a swivel, looking to iron out any wrinkle that may come up, and or corralling the media in order to make sure DeSantis is seen in the best light possible.
@GovRonDeSantis and family make their entrance #inauguration #FlPol pic.twitter.com/dTshmK5CSY
— Javier Manjarres (@JavManjarres) January 3, 2023
Christina Pushaw, the firebrand campaign spokeswoman, Campaign Communication Director Lindsey Churnette, Executive Office staffers, Communication Director Taryn Fenske, Deputy Communications Director Jared Williams, Press Secretary Bryan Griffin, and Deputy Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern, and a slew of staffers, were all present at the event making sure all the “T’s” were crossed.
But before President DeSantis’s, umm, that slipped out.
Before “Gov. DeSantis’s” inaugural event took place, the popular governor enlisted several of the top past presidential donors and moneymen in Florida.
The Men
The former Navy Officer appears to have sounded his political reveille and his troops have fallen in line to help.
Brian Ballard, who raised cash for President Donald Trump and DeSantis in 2016 and 2018, but later is said to have had a falling out with DeSantis, was named to the inaugural committee.
Ballard is considered one of the top political moneymen in Florida, as is Nick Iarossi of Capital City Consulting, who recently told The Floridian that DeSantis's “Free State of Florida” is “the model for the country.”
“Governor DeSantis gave a powerful inaugural speech that contrasted his policies to keep Florida free and prosperous versus the failed lockdown policies of other states and the failed policies of the federal government. If states are looked at as an incubator for ideas, then Governor DeSantis and Florida should be the model for the country,” stated Iarossi.
Like Ballard, Iarossi supported DeSantis early on his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, but Iarossi stuck around giving DeSantis guidance through the legislative process.
Iarossi is considered one of those DeSantis political inner circle powerbrokers.
In addition to Ballard and Iarossi, Jeff Hartley, who was a major fundraiser for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Bill Rubin, who has a major donor and backer of former Gov. Rick Scott, and Ron Book, are also DeSantis’s go-to donors.
Of course, there are more significant Republican donors that are behind DeSantis, but Ballard, Iarossi, Rubin, Book, and Hartley are considered the five that helped moved the needle for Republican elected officials or candidates for office.
DeSantis is positioning himself well for a presidential run and is getting all his men in line.
The rumor mill within Tallahassee is saying that DeSantis will announce his presidential aspirations after the 2023 legislative session concludes in May.
One source, who asked that we not publicize his or her name, said that the Governor has definitely put the ball motion in to run for president.
“It’s all coming together, it’s a matter of when not if, he will run for President,” said the source.
