Ron DeSantis, the 46th governor of Florida, delivered the 2024 Jeanie Poole O’Shaughnessy Memorial Lecture on November 8, 2024 to a sold-out lecture venue in DeBartolo Hall. During the lecture, which was titled "Conservative Leadership on the Eve of America’s Semiquincentennial," DeSantis discussed “what it means to lead as a conservative elected official” today.
DeSantis began his public lecture in earnest by posing the question, “What does conservatism even mean now?” Dismissing the idea that conservatism—and conservative leadership—is merely “internet clickbait” or “Ronald Reagan’s 1980 platform, repackaged,” DeSantis went on to describe how he views conservative leadership in the context of his tenure as governor of Florida.
“For me,” DeSantis answered, “conservative leadership is about having a certain foundation that you bring to the job that you are doing,” including “a fidelity to the founding principles of this country.” DeSantis explained that such an understanding of conservative leadership, though not an end in itself, is essential to “generating good outcomes for the people you represent.” Generating such “good outcomes” is the ultimate end that a conservative leader should be oriented towards, DeSantis indicated.
In Florida, the outcomes DeSantis outlined as his goals as governor are “to preserve a free society in the state that I govern and … to ensure that all of my citizens have what Abraham Lincoln called an open field and fair chance to make the most of their God-given talents.”
Another aspect of leadership, according to DeSantis, is the ability to maintain an orientation towards the “true North” of truth when pursuing these outcomes: “Leadership is not about just reading a poll, leadership is about doing what's right, even when it is not easy.”
DeSantis reflected further upon the tension between doing what is right and seeking popularity: “The best decisions that I made at the time were the most unpopular decisions.” For DeSantis, this was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, DeSantis says that by trusting his instincts and the facts available, he was able to stand firmly behind his decisions.
Governor DeSantis finished his lecture with the simple message that conservative leaders must deliver results: “I kind of view it the same way that that Knute Rockne viewed football when he gave the pep speech [saying] ‘We're going to get ‘em on the run, we're going to keep ‘em on the run, and we're not going to stop until we get over the goal line.’”
After introducing a Notre Dame football reference in the close of his lecture, DeSantis reflected that he expected FSU to be defeated by Notre Dame, much to his chagrin. He did, however, urge the rowdy South Bend crowd to cut his son Mason, a “diehard FSU fan,” a little bit of slack.
Following his lecture, DeSantis attended the Center’s annual Statesmanship Dinner, where he had a chance to dine and connect with faculty, friends, and students of the Center. The next day, DeSantis attended a private breakfast with the Tocqueville Fellows. During this breakfast, Fellows had an opportunity to engage with the Governor in a less formal, off the record setting.
Looking back on the experience, sophomore Alejandra Ricardo, herself a Florida resident, reflected that she “really enjoyed the chance to hear from her governor on his vision for the pro-life movement in Florida and the nation.”
Senior Lila Mangino reacted similarly, remembering that “it was an honor to meet Governor DeSantis and have the opportunity to hear about the changes he has made in Florida as well as his vision for the future.”
The DeSantis family stayed for the game, which, unfortunately for Mason, resulted in a Notre Dame victory.
The full recording of Gov. DeSantis's remarks can be viewed on our YouTube channel. To stay in touch with the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government and be the first to know about upcoming events, subscribe to our mailing list here.