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Gov. Ron DeSantis named one of TIME's 100 most influential people

DeSantis was named among other leaders including Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Joe Rogan.
Credit: AP
FILE PHOTO: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint session of the legislature, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2022.

He joins a slew of other world and U.S. leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, podcaster Joe Rogan, China's President Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Ukrainian Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch.  

Former Florida governor and presidential candidate Jeb Bush wrote the magazine's entry on DeSantis. 

"During the pandemic, most people stayed home, and those who didn't probably moved to Florida," Bush's profile on DeSantis begins. 

Bush goes on to praise DeSantis for keeping schools, along with Florida businesses and economy open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He also praised DeSantis for allowing "individuals to determine their own risk tolerance" in regard to COVID-19. 

"His approach works," Bush wrote, noting Florida is a "national model of personal freedom," and has continued to see economic growth, education "excellence," and environmental protection during the pandemic. 

"Florida continues to see record population growth, unemployment remains below the national average, the private sector is growing, and Florida remains a national leader in school choice," Bush continues. 

Bush goes on to commend DeSantis on his work on environmental protection by making major investments in Florida's Everglades restoration and protecting the state's waterways. 

"While the Beltway crowd may not like his style, it's his record that will become his legacy," Bush concludes. 

You can read Bush's full remarks here.

As the Sunshine State has been one of the top states people have flocked to over the last two years, Florida has also become the least-affordable state in the nation.

Since September 2020, nearly all businesses and restaurants in Florida have been able to operate at 100 percent capacity; bars were able to operate at full capacity a few months later. 

According to the Florida Department of Health, since the beginning of the pandemic, the state has recorded 6,058,248 COVID-19 cases and 74,330 COVID-related deaths. 

RELATED: Appeals court: Florida law on social media unconstitutional

RELATED: Florida is becoming the least affordable place to live in the nation

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