# DeSantis' Two Terms Reshaped Florida

> Florida's political shift under DeSantis' two terms: conservative policies through executive power.
- Title: DeSantis' Two Terms Reshaped Florida · The Conversation
- Summary: Florida's political shift under DeSantis' two terms: conservative policies through executive power. DeSantis' two terms expanded executive power, cemented…
- Keywords: ron desantis, florida, conservative policies, executive power, governor, 2026 gubernatorial race, voter registration, redistricting, higher education reform, immigration policy, covid response, state legislature
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/ron-desantis-2-terms-in-office-fundamentally-altered-floridas-political-landscape-cementing-conservative-policies-through-strategic-control-of-state-institutions-289946
- Author: Liv Coleman
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ron desantis, florida, conservative policies, executive power, governor, 2026 gubernatorial race, voter registration, redistricting, higher education reform, immigration policy, covid response, state legislature
## DeSantis' election win
DeSantis won Florida's 2018 governor election with a margin of over 30,000 votes.
## Early executive control
DeSantis requested a binder of his gubernatorial powers immediately after winning the election.
## Veto power strategy
DeSantis used line-item veto power to control legislative agendas with minimal pushback.
## Manatee County case
DeSantis vetoed $4 million in budget requests from Manatee County lawmakers in 2025.
## Pandemic response
DeSantis reopened Florida in August 2020 after initial lockdowns, citing safer public health conditions.
## Immigration emergency
DeSantis declared a state immigration emergency in January 2023, renewing it every 60 days.
## Alligator Alcatraz
DeSantis built Alligator Alcatraz, a federal immigrant detention center on protected Everglades land.

> cruel and unnecessary
## Higher education reform
DeSantis appointed conservative trustees to remake New College of Florida into the 'Hillsdale of the South'.
## Voter registration shifts
Republican voter registrations outnumbered Democrats by 1.5 million statewide after DeSantis' terms.
## Redistricting impact
DeSantis pushed partisan gerrymandered maps to win up to four new Republican congressional seats.
## 2026 gubernatorial race
DeSantis endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for the 2026 governor race against David Jolly.
## Florida's political future
Florida's political future remains uncertain due to independent voters and national Republican unpopularity.
## Key takeaway

DeSantis' two terms expanded executive power, cemented conservative policies, and shifted Florida's political landscape.