# How Ron DeSantis transformed swing-state Florida into the GOP’s best hope

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-ron-desantis-transformed-swing-state-florida-into-the-gops-best-hope/
- Published: 2026-11-05T00:12:37+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T01:51:32+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/04/opinion/how-ron-desantis-made-swing-state-florida-the-gops-best-hope/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Republicans won key Florida races despite Democratic gains elsewhere.
- The writer credits DeSantis’s policies and outreach to newcomers.
- Trump’s Florida margin rose from one point in 2016 to over 13 in 2024.

## Summary

Florida stayed firmly Republican in an election that brought major Democratic gains elsewhere, with Republicans winning the governor’s, Senate, attorney general and chief financial officer races. The opinion writer credits Ron DeSantis with helping turn the state from a longtime swing state into a stronger Republican base, arguing that his policies and outreach to newcomers shaped its political direction.

The article says Donald Trump’s margin in Florida grew from one percentage point in 2016 to more than 13 points in 2024, as people moved there from states with stricter pandemic rules, higher taxes and other policies they opposed. It points to DeSantis’s welcome to new residents, school and protest policies, and Florida’s voter identification and reporting practices as factors behind the shift, while acknowledging that Democrats turned out strongly and politics can change.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.