Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis officially entered the presidential race in May and polls indicate he’s the leading alternative to former President Donald Trump.
If the Florida governor captures the Republican nomination and takes on Joe Biden in the general election, two Catholic presidential candidates will face off for the first time in U.S. history.
DeSantis has served as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019. He was reelected in a landslide in 2022 against former Democratic Gov. Charlie Crist. And he previously represented Florida’s 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018.
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The Florida governor is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and retired with the rank of lieutenant commander.
DeSantis, 44, is a native of Dunedin, Florida, where he attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. His political memoir says he was expected at church every Sunday.
He has spoken of the power of prayer in helping his family through his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis. In March, he agreed with the journalist Piers Morgan when asked if he leaned on his faith after his sister’s death.
“You start to question things that are unjust, like ‘Why did this have to happen?'” DeSantis said. “You just have to have faith that there’s a plan in place, trust in God, there’s no guarantee that you’re going to have a life without challenges and without heartbreak.”
DeSantis sat down with CBN News’ David Brody on Thursday for an exclusive interview on the campaign trail. His interview will air Friday on The 700 Club. Check local listings.
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