TALLAHASSEE — With Renatha Francis joining the Florida Supreme Court, Gov. Ron DeSantis will cement a majority of his own appointees in line with his legal philosophy and thus more likely to rule in his favor on lawsuits challenging the many controversial laws he has signed.
Her appointment is the latest example of how DeSantis has exerted his influence as governor of the third largest state in the nation, as he rolls toward a second term and positions himself for the 2024 Republican presidential campaign.
“Governor DeSantis seems to have been able to consolidate power and use more power than previous governors,” said Aubrey Jewett, an associate professor of political science at the University of Central Florida. “There is a lack of checks and balances that we’ve seen in the past.”
