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Credit: Inside the MagicFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis just took a major political hit after a tough year that began with the conclusion of his battle with The Walt Disney Company.
DeSantis first picked a fight with the Mouse in 2022 when he warned former Disney CEO Bob Chapek not to speak out against the Parental Rights in Education Act. Known as “Don’t Say Gay,” the controversial legislation severely restricted discussion of the LGBTQIA+ community in public schools.
Disney Parks fans and cast members protested the company’s silence. Chapek eventually released a statement condemning the anti-LGBTQIA+ law and vowing to pause political campaign donations to Florida legislators that supported it.
Governor DeSantis responded swiftly. He legally dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a municipal area that Walt Disney World Resort had controlled since 1967. He replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, hand-appointing board members to maintain the area.
Disney tried to take power away from the new board, which took over in 2023. When that failed, they filed a lawsuit against DeSantis for retaliating against its First Amendment right to free speech. They argued that hundreds of other special districts like Reedy Creek were allowed to continue operating in Florida, and DeSantis targeted Walt Disney World Resort because of Chapek’s statement on “Don’t Say Gay.”
A federal judge dismissed Disney’s lawsuit in January 2024. Though Disney CEO Bob Iger and DeSantis have thrown some threats back and forth, the two parties have quieted down about each other.
Disney continued investing in Florida, announcing millions of dollars in investments at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They resumed donating to political candidates in Florida.
DeSantis focused on his presidential campaign, which he eventually withdrew and endorsed former President Donald Trump. He passed nearly 200 laws that took effect on July 1, 2024.
Still, it’s not all rainbows in the Sunshine State. DeSantis has faced legal pushback over some of his new legislation. He gave a poorly received speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) alongside former opponent Nikki Haley.
Last week, Governor Ron DeSantis suffered another political blow. The Republican leader endorsed 23 school board candidates for this year’s elections as part of his push for a more conservative public education system. According to The Associated Press, more of DeSantis’s school board candidates lost than won.
Preliminary results showed that 11 of DeSantis’s candidates lost their races. Six won. The other six will advance to November runoffs after no one in their races surpassed 50% of the vote. Those elections could still turn in DeSantis’s favor.
Despite the loss, Governor DeSantis remained optimistic.
“Some of them that came up short, that’s going to be something they can build on for future election cycles,” he said on Wednesday. “If you look at where we were four or five years ago versus where we are now, there’s much more interest on these school boards in protecting the rights of parents.”
Who won the battle between The Walt Disney Company and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis? In the comments, share your views with Inside the Magic.