DeSantis Research Book Documenting the record. Examining the record.

DeSantis Research Book

Documenting the record. Examining the record.

Latest Articles

Requesting the Records: A Field Test of Florida's Sunshine Commitments
Policy Tracker

Requesting the Records: A Field Test of Florida's Sunshine Commitments

Florida's Government-in-the-Sunshine Law is a national touchstone on paper. We filed sample public records requests and tracked response times, fees, and exemptions to see whether practice matches promise under the current administration.

When Tallahassee Overrides: Five Florida Communities Grapple With the Preemption Wave
Governance Analysis

When Tallahassee Overrides: Five Florida Communities Grapple With the Preemption Wave

From Miami Beach's wage rules to Gainesville's zoning reforms, state preemption has reshaped local policymaking across Florida. Five community profiles show what was overturned, how, and at what cost to local self-government.

The Revolving Door at the Capitol: A Statistical Portrait of Turnover in Florida's Executive Branch
Governance Analysis

The Revolving Door at the Capitol: A Statistical Portrait of Turnover in Florida's Executive Branch

Senior staff departures, agency head shuffles, and campaign brain drains have become a defining feature of Florida's executive branch. This analysis charts the churn and asks what it means for the continuity of state policy.

When the Champion Departs: Can a Policy Agenda Outlive Its Architect?
Governance Analysis

When the Champion Departs: Can a Policy Agenda Outlive Its Architect?

History suggests that a governor's agenda rarely survives a presidential campaign intact. This opinion analysis asks which Florida initiatives have the institutional roots to endure and which are already withering without their principal advocate.

Statutes vs. Soundbites: Auditing the Distance Between Florida's Education Bills and Their Implementation
Policy Tracker

Statutes vs. Soundbites: Auditing the Distance Between Florida's Education Bills and Their Implementation

Florida's education legislation generated headlines far beyond state lines, but the text of the bills and the reality in school districts often diverge. This audit traces what each law actually requires and where implementation has stalled, shifted, or exceeded the statutory language.

Twelve Rejections: A Ledger of the Governor's Most Significant Vetoes
Governance Analysis

Twelve Rejections: A Ledger of the Governor's Most Significant Vetoes

A governor's veto pen reveals priorities that bill signings cannot. This ledger examines twelve consequential rejections, the lobbying forces behind each, and what the decisions signaled to legislators and the Republican base.

From Tallahassee Outward: Seven Florida Measures That Traveled to Other Statehouses
Policy Tracker

From Tallahassee Outward: Seven Florida Measures That Traveled to Other Statehouses

A handful of Florida initiatives have been introduced, in whole or in part, by legislators in other states within a few years of their passage. We trace seven of them — their origins, the opposition they met, and where copies have surfaced since.

Campaign Finance

The Money Map: A Ledger of Donors Behind Florida's Chief Executive

Campaign finance disclosures reveal a network of real estate executives, hedge fund managers, and national PACs that has powered Ron DeSantis's rise from first-time candidate to two-term governor. We follow the filings to see who gave, how much, and when.

Executive Authority, Expanded: Tracing the Boundaries of gubernatorial Power in Tallahassee
Governance Analysis

Executive Authority, Expanded: Tracing the Boundaries of gubernatorial Power in Tallahassee

From pandemic-era emergency orders to special sessions convened on his terms, Governor Ron DeSantis has tested the outer limits of Florida's executive office. This analysis examines how his approach measures against his predecessors and what it suggests for conservative governance nationwide.