TAMPA, Fla. — One afternoon late last month, Ron DeSantis the governor and Ron DeSantis the presidential candidate were theoretically doing two different things at once.
His office announced he had signed eight bills — then shared paperwork that was filed at the same time DeSantis was headlining an event in a barn more than 1,000 miles from Tallahassee in Pella, Iowa. (His office later clarified that DeSantis signed the bills “prior to filing.”)
Historically, serving as governor has been the most popular path to the presidency. But recent history shows that sitting governors who’ve mounted national campaigns have struggled. Not one has been elected since 2000.
