Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to publish a memoir within the next year amid public speculation of a 2024 presidential run.
The book, titled “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint For America’s Revival,” will dive into a “firsthand account” on the governor’s contribution to public service and key moments in his life, according to its publisher, HarperCollins Publishers. The governor will reportedly recollect his working class childhood, playing in the Little League World Series, attending both Yale University and Harvard University, and his military service in Iraq.
He will also detail his home life with his spouse, Casey, their three children and her recent battle with breast cancer, the publisher said.
“He played baseball for Yale, graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, and served in Iraq and in the halls of Congress. But in all these places, Ron DeSantis learned the same lesson: He didn’t want to be part of the leftist elite,” the book’s summary read. “His heart was always for the people of Florida, one of the most diverse and culturally rich states in the union. Since becoming governor of the sunshine state, he has fought —and won—battle after battle, defeating not just opposition from the political left, but a barrage of hostile media coverage proclaiming the end of the world.”
Another indication he is running, Desantis joins Pence, Pompeo and Haley with a new book coming out. Trump is probably feverishly working on his memoir. pic.twitter.com/ikoKyaiOBV
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) November 30, 2022
The book will further give an account of DeSantis’ “evidence-based and freedom-focused” handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the thriving conditions of Florida in comparison to lockdown states, according to the website. The Florida governor intends to tout his fight against culture war issues, including eliminating critical race theory and “woke gender ideology” in schools.
“A firsthand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr. Fauci, The Courage to Be Free delivers something no other politician’s memoir has before: stories of victory,” the summary continued. “This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties.”
The book will be available to the public on February 28, 2023, according to the website.
Public polling has repeatedly indicated that DeSantis is neck-and-neck with former President Donald Trump in terms of being the top pick among Republican voters for the 2024 presidential nomination. A recent poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov found the Florida governor leading former President Donald Trump by seven points, 49%-39%, among Republican voters and by 13 points among Independents. (RELATED: DeSantis Appears To Respond To Trump’s Attacks Ahead Of Expected Presidential Run Announcement)
Recent polls from four key states — New Hampshire, Florida, Georgia and Iowa — show DeSantis up by double digits against Trump. A New Hampshire matchup has DeSantis at 52% compared to 37% for Trump, and the governor leads Trump 56%-30% in his home state of Florida.
Trump, who recently announced his third presidential bid, has criticized DeSantis over his growing popularity. At a Nov. 6 rally, the former president nicknamed him “Ron DeSanctimonious” as he read popularity percentages of potential 2024 candidates.
He later branded DeSantis as an “average governor” who only gained popularity because of his endorsement.