How Much Is Ron DeSantis Worth as He Announces His Bid for President?
Written by
Madeline Duley
Edited by
Nicholas Morine
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Ron DeSantis became the 46th governor of Florida in January 2019, and the Republican’s national profile grew during the pandemic as he pushed to keep Florida open for business.
His road to the governor’s mansion followed stops as a lawyer in the U.S. Navy and as a member of the House of Representatives. DeSantis is now a potential contender for the 2024 presidential election. He announced his run for president during a conversation with Elon Musk via Twitter Spaces on the evening of May 24.
DeSantis is far from non-controversial. He’s made headline news recently for his battle with Disney which began in April 2022 when the Florida Senate voted to end Disney World’s tax privileges. This move would abolish the taxing district that gives Disney special privileges of self-government in its theme park. In Feb. 2023, DeSantis signed legislation ending Disney’s self-governing status over the Reedy Creek Improvement District and creating a new state-controlled district.
Disney, in turn, sued DeSantis alleging the move would harm its business operations.
That bill was approved on May 5, 2022. According to The Hill, once the governor signs it, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which he created, will have jurisdiction to oversee the theme park and can undo Disney’s efforts to stop him.
So how much is the governor worth as launches his presidential bid? DeSantis is not wealthy by the standards of national politicians, but his wealth has increased during his time as governor and his political fundraising has been impressive.
Here’s a look at DeSantis’ net worth and background.
Net Worth
DeSantis’ net worth is currently around $320,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His assets include a $134,181 governor’s salary, $235,000 in a USAA account and $105,755 in a thrift savings plan, a government retirement and investment plan, according to FCE data. He also has $30,302 in the Florida Retirement System.
DeSantis lives in the governor’s mansion and thus does not have to pay for housing. He sold his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for $460,000 in 2019, according to St. John’s County property records.
He has about $21,000 in student loan debt, according to a June 2022 Division of Elections disclosure form.
Political Career
In 2012, DeSantis ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of District 6. He served three terms before his gubernatorial campaign in 2018.
DeSantis is renowned for his fundraising ability. He has raised over $100 million for his 2022 re-election campaign and is the first candidate from any state to reach this goal by donations alone. While other candidates have accumulated nine-figure campaigns, Meg Whitman (R-Calif.) and JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) financed their campaigns primarily with their own money, according to OpenSecrets.
DeSantis’ fundraising enterprises make him a potentially promising contender in the group of 2024 presidential candidates for the Republican Party.
DeSantis is not independently wealthy and his fundraising support comes from state parties, national parties and wealthy GOP donors. He receives large sums of money via checks from influential Florida businesses and small donations from all 50 states.
Early Life
DeSantis was born on Sept. 14, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from Dunedin High in 1997 and attended Yale University, where he studied history, played baseball and joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He briefly taught history after graduating from Yale, before getting his JD from Harvard Law School.
While still in school, DeSantis joined the Navy and completed Naval Justice School. During his time in the military, he worked with detainees at Guantanamo Bay Joint Detention Facility, deployed to Iraq as an advisor to SEAL Team One and served as an assistant U.S. attorney until his honorable discharge in February 2010.
He has been married to Casey Black since 2010 and they have three children together.
Michelle Tompkins contributed to this article.
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