DeSantis: Inside his rise from obscure member of Congress to presidential contender
How did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis go from being a relatively obscure member of Congress in 2013 to a presidential contender in less than 10 years?
CBS News Miami reporter Jim DeFede explores that question in an hourlong documentary released Thursday, titled, "DeSantis."
The evolution of DeSantis' politics
DeFede, who has covered politics in Florida for more than three decades, documents DeSantis' evolution of political style and strategy over the years. The documentary includes DeFede's interviews with DeSantis since 2018, along with numerous DeSantis press conferences, speeches, and campaign ads.
The documentary, which CBS News Miami will stream and air this week, also reports on DeSantis' national emergence in recent years as a "culture warrior" and his work, with the Florida legislature, enacting one of the most conservative agendas in the country.
CBS News Miami reached out to DeSantis for an interview and reaction to topics in the documentary during its production but received no response.
Insights from DeSantis insiders
DeFede interviewed both supporters and critics of DeSantis, who in late May entered the 2024 presidential race seeking to beat Donald Trump and others for the Republican nomination.
Several insiders appearing in the documentary have never been interviewed on camera about DeSantis, including his former chief of staff Adrian Lukis, former State Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, and former Florida emergency management director and Congressman Jared Moskowitz, Democrat of Florida.
Their insights include what they say happened behind the scenes during the COVID-19 pandemic in what DeSantis described as "The Free State of Florida," which ranks 12th in the nation as of April 2023 for COVID-19 deaths.
