DeSantis touts his victories in Florida for State of the State speech with his political power in peril

Tallahassee, Florida CNN —

Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off Florida’s legislative session on Tuesday with a deeply political speech that drew sharp contrasts between his conservative stewardship and Democratic leadership and seemed tailored to the Iowans who will soon decide the fate of his White House bid.

“We are in the midst of a great upheaval throughout the nation,” DeSantis began his annual State of the State address, before sharing a dark view of the current status of the country and Democratic-run cities like San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC.

He ended with a line that nodded to a mission that extended well beyond Florida’s boundaries.

“Together, we will keep Florida free and provide hope for a revival of the American spirit throughout these United States,” he said.

The remarks from Tallahassee come six days before the Iowa caucuses and amid a Midwest blizzard that forced some of his rivals to cancel campaign events in the Hawkeye State. For DeSantis, who has staked his political future on a strong showing in the first nominating contest, the 1,000-mile detour from Iowa to his state capitol marked a rare hiatus from the campaign trail after spending most of the second half of 2023 and the early days of 2024 on the road.

Just as he has in dozens of appearances in Iowa, DeSantis recounted at length his political victories in Florida. He was especially complimentary of the Republican-controlled legislature’s work in 2023 – which he called “monumental” – when lawmakers passed a slate of bills that have served as a platform for his presidential campaign.

“We have put forth a blueprint for America’s revival that has instilled hope into the hearts of millions that a new birth of freedom can emanate from