DeSantis and First Lady Celebrate Beginning of Second Term at Inaugural Ball

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis celebrated the beginning of his second term with a dance at the inaugural ball Tuesday as crowds cheered them on.

DeSantis and the First Lady hosted the “Governor’s Inaugural Ball” at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center following the inauguration where the governor was sworn in for his second term.

Joined on stage by their three children, Madison, Mason, and Mamie, the couple walked out to a rendition of Van Zant’s “Sweet Florida,” and danced to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.”

During the inauguration, cabinet members were sworn in, including Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson.

The governor and his cabinet members saw historic numbers in the midterm elections, successfully flipping traditionally Democrat-heavy or Democrat-leaning counties across Florida, in some cases by double digit margins.

DeSantis defeated Democrat gubernatorial candidate, Charlie Crist, by nearly 20 points.

“Freedom lives here in our great sunshine state of Florida,” DeSantis said in the opening of his inaugural speech.

“It lives in the courage of those who patrol the streets and who keep our communities safe, it lives in the industry of those who work long hours to earn a living and raise their families, it lives in the dedication of those who teach our children,” he continued.

“It lives in the determination of those who grow our food, it lives in the wisdom of our senior citizens, it lives in the dreams of the historic number of families who have moved from states across this country because they saw Florida as the land of liberty and the land of sanity.”

DeSantis talked about his previous achievements from the last four years.

“Florida is leading the nation,” he said. DeSantis said Florida is number one in new business formations, tourism, economic freedom, freedom in education, and parental involvement in education.

Despite the long list of achievements, DeSantis says Florida is far from done.

“Florida’s accumulated a record budget surplus and we need to enact record tax relief particularly for Florida families who are grappling with inflation.”