Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proclaimed to a raucous crowd in Tampa, “The people have delivered their verdict: Freedom is here to stay.”
With 85 percent of votes tabulated at the time of the victory speech, DeSantis led Charlie Crist by 59 percent to 40 percent in a landslide not experienced in Sunshine State gubernatorial elections since Democrat Bob Graham beat Republican challenger Skip Bafalis by an almost two-to-one margin four decades ago.
How to explain the Florida trouncing?
“We chose facts over fear,” DeSantis explained to his supporters. “We chose education over indoctrination. We chose law and order over rioting and disorder. Florida was a refuge of sanity when the world went mad.”
A live crowd chanted “USA! USA! USA!” and, in a nod to an expected presidential run, “Two more years!”
“We have not only won reelection,” DeSantis declared, “we have rewritten the political map.”
READ MORE: Ron DeSantaClaus: A Star Is Born
