Casey Desantis Ethnic Background: Few individuals are more familiar with Florida’s gubernatorial contenders than their spouses. Both Casey DeSantis and R. Jai Gillum are formidable political figures in their own right. They are powerful, well-educated, and resilient. Casey DeSantis has been dubbed the “hidden weapon” of Republican presidential contender Ron DeSantis. The award-winning journalist and former champion equestrian may be the future First Lady of Florida if her candidacy is successful.
We all anticipate that things will flare up during the election campaign season. A number of advertisements become offensive, and several take an unexpected turn. Casey and her children were the stars of a commercial that drew both praise and criticism for the company. Mason, 6 months, and Madison, almost 2 years, were on video reading a “Make America Great Again” book, and Madison could be seen constructing a wall with toy blocks, implying that they support President Trump’s plan.
“It’s important to keep things in perspective,” Casey said. “Ron and special interests were the targets of nasty attack advertisements worth millions of dollars. That was sort of where we were at the time, and we wondered how we should react. We reacted with a sense of levity. We had a good time. I believe a large number of people enjoyed it and understood the humor.”
A familiar face in the public eye, she’s no stranger to the limelight. For years, her warm grin could be heard on local radio stations in Jacksonville. Casey has presented events on the PGA TOUR as well as at First Coast Living in Jacksonville. It took a detour for the College of Charleston graduate with a degree in economics and a minor in French to find her way into the world of television news. (https://aaluminum.com)
Casey was raised in Troy, Ohio, but it was television news that took her to Jacksonville, Florida, and it was a round of golf that put her in the sights of Governor Ron DeSantis. “We met at the driving range off Kernan Boulevard at the University of North Florida,” Casey said. “I kept glancing over my shoulder because I was hankering for the bucket of balls that had been left by someone else since my swing was so bad. I needed as much practice as I could get my hands on, and I got it. Then I see that Ron is over there, while I’m gazing behind me. He believes I’m staring at him, which I’m not. I was paying close attention to the balls. To make a long story short, we began talking and that’s how we came to meet.”
She bursts into tears as she talks about her Navy husband and remembers the day she thought she might lose him. On June 14, 2017, there was a shooting at a congressional baseball game in which Ron was in attendance, which resulted in his death. ‘I was working here at the station that morning when I looked up and saw our news crew covering a congressional baseball shooting, and I immediately realized it was my husband’s event,’ she added. “What it does, I don’t believe there are any words to describe. And you think about how your spouse, your family, and yourself would react if anything like that happened to you? It was one of the most painful days of my life, and there are no words to adequately describe it.”
Countless proud moments have been spent by his side, supporting his ambitions, and she believes that he has reciprocated in kind. ‘He’s always been the kind of person who has pushed me on the correct path to achieve,’ she added. “I think that’s very unique.”
His wife describes her spouse as a “hands-on parent” while he is at home. In exchange for her time away from the apparently never-ending responsibilities of parenthood, he washes dishes, changes diapers, and enables her to relax. “He does an excellent job,” she said. He performs an excellent job when he is given the opportunity to stay at home, and I am extremely grateful for it.”
When you have two children, life on the campaign road can be stressful. But Casey believes that by learning about problems that impact Floridians directly, she is better prepared to fight for their rights.
