Ron DeSantis says presidential run isn’t getting in the way of gubernatorial duties

Ron DeSantis. Image via AP.

Ron DeSantis says he can handle running for President and being Governor of Florida at the same time, but he’s just sleeping less.

During a friendly Fox News interview with Jesse Watters, the Governor defended his bifurcated schedule.

“I’m still working though. So, you know, we’re signing bills still, we’re vetoing bills. We’re still doing all of that. I’m doing both. I’m just, I’m just sleeping less,” DeSantis said.

Critics such as the DeSantis Watch group have noted that a total of “eighteen days out of thirty in the month of June that Florida’s Governor will have spent outside the state he was elected to govern.”

But the Governor doesn’t buy that argument.

“I mean, in fact, you know, we vetoed a bill on Monday. They wanted to raise interest rates on consumer loans and I’m thinking like they already have enough Bidenflation. Let’s stand up for the little guy here,” DeSantis said, referring to a bill that would have allowed 36% interest on personal installment loans, a doubling of the current cap.

“So we did that, you know, we’ve signed some good legislation this week and we do more,” DeSantis said.

Indeed, the Governor rolled out bill signings while on his fundraising trip to New York City Thursday, including a controversial measure that will allow radioactive phosphogypsum to be used in road paving. The EPA approved using it for road construction under the Donald Trump administration, but President Joe Biden changed that policy, and the legislation will test that federal rule.

DeSantis didn’t mention this bill in the Watters interview, however, instead focusing on time management.

“You’ve just got to prioritize. I don’t watch TV. I don’t do a lot of the other stuff. I kind of like, look after my wife and kids with them,” DeSantis said.

Florida legislators resolved potential complications with the state’s “resign to run” law this Session, passing language that made it clear the Governor could run for President and not leave office. The vast majority of Republicans in the Legislature have endorsed him.

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Anne Geggis contributed reporting.