Ron DeSantis has been fighting for the soul of the conservative movement.
He turned Florida into a model of conservative governance.
And Ron DeSantis just received one honor that left Donald Trump fuming.
National Review hands DeSantis prestigious conservative prize
Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis received the William F. Buckley Jr. Prize for Leadership in Political Thought from the National Review Institute this week.¹
The award honors individuals whose work and leadership significantly advanced the cause of free society.
It's named after the founder of National Review and the architect of the modern conservative movement.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1986473824544530467?s=20
The prize recognizes figures whose intellectual leadership helps define and renew the conservative, free-society tradition.
DeSantis transformed Florida into what National Review CEO Chuck DeFeo called "a national standard for effective, principled leadership."²
For years, Democrats and establishment Republicans dismissed DeSantis as just another politician.
They were dead wrong.
DeSantis built a conservative laboratory that works
Under DeSantis' leadership, Florida became a global model for conservative policies.
The Governor fought against COVID authoritarianism when Democrats were locking down entire states.
He stood up to left-wing indoctrination in schools while other Republican governors cowered.
He rejected anti-free market policies that were destroying businesses across America.
"Together, we have fought against COVID authoritarianism, left-wing indoctrination, and anti-free market policies to make Florida prosperous and free," DeSantis said after receiving the award.³
"Because of our hard work, Florida is now a global model for conservative policies and proof-positive that conservatism works."
https://twitter.com/AlachuaChronic1/status/1986287772676608445?s=20
DeSantis won reelection as Governor in 2022 by nearly 20 percentage points – the largest margin of victory in a Florida gubernatorial election in 40 years.⁴
He flipped Miami-Dade County, which hadn't voted Republican since 2002.
He won Palm Beach County, which hadn't gone Republican since 1986.
The so-called "swing state" isn't swinging anymore.
Florida is blood red because DeSantis delivered results that made people's lives better.
First Lady Casey DeSantis led groundbreaking initiatives
The National Review Institute didn't just honor Ron DeSantis.
Casey DeSantis didn't just stand beside her husband looking pretty for the cameras.
She built Hope Florida from scratch in 2021 – connecting struggling Floridians with resources from nonprofits, churches, and businesses instead of just throwing more government money at problems.⁵
Then she launched the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund and pumped $140 million into researchers actually trying to cure cancer instead of managing it forever.⁶
That's 95 researchers and institutions across Florida working on treatments that might actually save lives.
Here's what makes her different from typical political spouses.
Casey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 at 41 years old.
She beat it, declared cancer-free in 2022, then immediately turned that nightmare into a mission to help other families avoid the same hell.
"The Governor and I are deeply grateful for this recognition and for all that the National Review Institute is doing to honor the enduring legacy of William F. Buckley Jr.," Casey DeSantis said.⁷
DeFeo praised both Ron and Casey DeSantis for embodying "a rare blend of philosophical depth and practical governance."⁸
Their leadership strengthened the lives of Floridians and set the standard for how to translate conservative ideals into policies that serve every American.
The Buckley Prize represents vindication for DeSantis after his 2024 presidential campaign ended in disappointment.
He dropped out of the race in January 2024 and endorsed Donald Trump.
But this award proves DeSantis built something that will outlast any single political campaign.
He created a blueprint for conservative governance that other states are copying.
The establishment media spent years attacking DeSantis for his COVID policies.
They called him dangerous for opening Florida when blue states remained locked down.
They accused him of putting lives at risk by refusing to mandate masks and vaccines.
History proved them wrong on every count.
Florida's economy thrived while California and New York suffocated under lockdowns.
Florida's schools stayed open while Democrat-run districts kept kids home for years.
And Floridians maintained their freedom while other Americans lived under authoritarian governors who treated the Constitution like toilet paper.
DeSantis also reclaimed public institutions from left-wing pedagogy.
He signed legislation banning Critical Race Theory in schools.
He stopped biological males from competing in women's sports.
He ended taxpayer funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
These weren't just symbolic victories.
DeSantis actually used government power to defend conservative values instead of just complaining about the Left's cultural dominance.
The William F. Buckley Jr. Prize for Leadership in Political Thought sends a clear message to the conservative movement that you don't have to accept defeat in the culture war.
You don't have to let the Left control institutions.
You can fight back and win if you have the backbone to actually govern according to your principles.
Ron and Casey DeSantis proved that conservatism works when leaders have the courage to implement it.
¹ "Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Honored with National Review Institute's William F. Buckley Jr. Prize for Leadership in Political Thought," Executive Office of the Governor, November 17, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ "Ron DeSantis," Wikipedia, November 13, 2025.
⁵ "Casey DeSantis," Wikipedia, November 14, 2025.
⁶ "Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Announce $60 Million Funding Opportunity for Innovative Cancer Research on World Cancer Research Day," Executive Office of the Governor, September 24, 2025.
⁷ "Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Honored with National Review Institute's William F. Buckley Jr. Prize for Leadership in Political Thought," Executive Office of the Governor, November 17, 2025.
⁸ Ibid.
