United States | DeSantis and his dissenters

Ron DeSantis’s lurch in Florida hurts his presidential chances

An abrupt shift to the right was meant to showcase the governor’s conservative credentials. Instead it has provoked concern

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida speaks at an Iowa Republican Party reception in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 13, 2023. For the first time in months, DeSantis on Saturday showed the aggressive political instincts that his allies have long insisted he would demonstrate in a contest against former President Donald Trump. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)Credit: New York Times / Redux / eyevineFor further information please contact eyevinetel: +44 (0) 20 8709 8709e-mail: info@eyevine.comwww.eyevine.com *** Local Caption *** 15915686 — Image: Eyevine

Apr 30th 2023|Tallahassee

TALLAHASSEE WAS not always Florida’s capital. Two centuries ago lawmakers from Pensacola on the territory’s western coast and St Augustine on the eastern one grew tired of traversing 400 miles to meet. In 1824 Tallahassee was named the capital as a compromise, because it was in the middle. Today middle ground and compromise have vanished in Tallahassee, where the governor’s office and both chambers of the legislature are controlled by Republicans. On May 5th Florida’s lawmakers will conclude their annual session, which will be remembered as a conservative tide washing over the state.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “DeSantis and his dissenters”