Ron DeSantis' political star is tarnished after key Florida primary night losses

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis backed several school board candidates who were defeated in Tuesday's primary elections.

Two years has been a political eternity for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In 2022, when DeSantis was at the peak of his political powers and openly flirting with running for president, he used his sway to start remaking local school boards into much more conservative-leaning bodies. During that year's midterm elections, when DeSantis won re-election by a historic near 20-points, he backed 30 school board candidates, and only five lost.

Now, DeSantis is on the heels of a failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination that tarnished his reputation nationally, and the power of his endorsement in Florida appears to be waning. DeSantis backed 23 school board candidates in Tuesday’s primaries, and nearly half of them did not win, while six others were forced into runoffs.

DeSantis remains a popular governor in an increasingly red-leaning state that just saw Republicans take a more than 1 million voter registration advantage. But the primary losses are among the biggest in-state political headwinds he has faced in years.

DeSantis-backed candidates also suffered losses in other races, while he notched victories in some state legislative contests. But the school board elections provide a snapshot of how the political dynamic has shifted for him.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/desantis-florida-primary-night-losses-rcna167550

---