From backbench congressman to debate limelight: The rise of Ron DeSantis, soundbite by soundbite
After years of building his political brand through policies that delighted conservatives and infuriated liberals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will put his ambition on the line Wednesday night in Milwaukee at the first debate of Republican presidential hopefuls.
It could pump life into his struggling campaign – or render him a footnote, leapfrogged by the next would-be Trump alternative.
Except for Donald Trump and Mike Pence, the once-obscure DeSantis will enter the debate stage as the best known candidate seeking the Republican nomination. The Harvard Caps-Harris Poll from July showed only 6% of voters had never heard of DeSantis, followed by 12% for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 16% for former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and 17% for South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
It has been an impressive rise to national relevance for a man who spent six years in Congress as someone Politico described as an “awkward backbench lawmaker” who rarely made headlines.
Pollsters and political analysts credit an early endorsement from Trump during his first gubernatorial run and DeSantis’ controversial COVID-19 response with boosting his reputation nationally.
To understand how and when DeSantis became a household name outside of Florida, reporters from the Miami Herald, along with its parent company, McClatchy, analyzed data detailing the number of 15-second cable news clips from Fox, CNN and MSNBC that mentioned DeSantis each week. The analysis also included news articles referencing DeSantis from 11 major publications with large national reach.
Data showed DeSantis’ name recognition was built on a foundation of Fox News appearances, splashy made-for-TV moments that were red meat for MSNBC and CNN, and a relentless drumbeat of legislative action that generated headlines and controversy.
Continue scrolling to see how DeSantis’ national media profile grew over time — and when he had his most memorable moments.
This story was originally published August 22, 2023 at 9:39 PM.