By: Jonathan Han
At only 44 years of age, Ron DeSantis is undoubtedly one of the younger presidential candidates, and his campaign focuses on his youth. The Florida governor loves to brag about the “energy and discipline” required for the White House. He often mentions his young children, ages 6, 5, and 3, making him among the few candidates with younger kids.
DeSantis often addresses parental worries about schools and pop culture when pressing his right-wing social agenda. When signing the state budget, he joked that a diaper tax break came just a little too late for his family. DeSantis said, “I came home, and my wife’s like, ‘Why didn’t you do that in 2019 when our kids were still in diapers?'”
DeSantis’s youthful characteristics aim to contrast against his older rivals, President Joe Biden, 80, and former President Donald Trump. Voters are especially concerned with President Biden’s health. According to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, about two-thirds of voters think Biden is too old for another four-year term. Thirty-six percent of voters believe the same about President Trump, implying it might be time for a younger candidate like DeSantis to step onto the stage.
Still, DeSantis rarely directly mentions his age, and his party isn’t known for nominating younger presidential candidates. DeSantis has conservative views on abortion, climate change, and racial issues, clashing with popular beliefs. Most voters of his generation want to legalize abortion, fight against climate change, and support Black Lives Matter. According to the Quinnipiac poll, only two in five voters aged 35-49 share common views with DeSantis.
Unlike former President Barack Obama, he struggles to capture youthful enthusiasm. Obama charmed the youth as a cultural icon. DeSantis doesn’t discuss cultural influences like music, movies, TV shows, or social media. He attempted to reach a younger audience by announcing his campaign on Twitter, but it was a mess.
But his children are almost always visible. Since President Kennedy, no presidential family has had children as young as DeSantis while running for President. The family-based image of DeSantis has softened some Democrats’ views of him. “I don’t like him as a politician… But I think he’s a good father and husband,” said Jannie Jackson, a Democratic voter from Miami. “Engaging with his family helps humanize him. He’s a dad. People can relate to that. It gives him credibility to talk about family issues,” said Dave Carney, a New Hampshire-based Republican strategist. He also added, “There’s a balance. You don’t want your kids to seem like a prop.”
DeSantis has attracted quite a few younger Republicans. A poll by The Economist and YouGov demonstrated he received much support from Republicans aged 18-29. However, Trump still leads that group, edging out DeSantis by 12%.
On almost every campaign, Mr. and Mrs. DeSantis bring up their family life. In New Hampshire, Mrs. DeSantis apologized for her raspy voice, suggesting she lost her voice trying to protect the furniture in the governor’s mansion from her daughter. “I had a very long, in-depth conversation with that 3-year-old about why she cannot color on the dining room table with permanent markers,” she said.
DeSantis has competition, as another youthful lesser-known candidate, Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, aged 45, published a campaign video of him jogging through the city and mentioning his children. Vivek Ramaswamy, 37, coins himself as the first millennial presidential candidate. He often brings his young children on campaign trails too. During the closing moments of an event in New Hampshire.