Ron DeSantis flexes the raw power of his imperial governorship

The meteoric rise of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the pantheon of potential GOP presidential contenders has been one of the most fascinating subplots in politics -- putting him on a direct collision course with former President Donald Trump as he led the anti-mask, anti-mandate brigade through the pandemic and then muscled through a string of controversial laws to cast himself as the right's new champion for "parental rights."

DeSantis' imperial governorship reached new heights on Thursday when the actions of the Florida legislature demonstrated how he is not only bending state government to his will, but also to his whims. In a special session, lawmakers approved a new congressional map proposed by his office that appears all but certain to dilute the voting power of Black Floridians. On the same day, the legislature carried out DeSantis' threat to punish Disney for speaking out against the law he recently signed that limits certain classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Even in the waning days of Trump's presidency, DeSantis managed to wade into almost every controversy that was animating Fox viewers, using both executive actions and the power of his pen to keep the spotlight on the Sunshine State. And as he prepares for a possible White House bid in 2024 -- at the same time Trump decides whether to run for the White House again -- DeSantis is being rewarded for his political deftness with rising poll numbers that establish him as a real threat to the former President.