DeSantis wins support in first 100 days, making nearly 30 policy announcements

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Gov. Ron DeSantis marked his 100th day in office by commemorating America's failed invasion of Cuba. So far, his Tallahassee insurgency is going better.

A poll released by Quinnipiac in March showed respondents approved of him, 59% to 17%. Even his political opponents are being nice.

"He has done some things that have surprised me and others," said Mayor Rick Kriseman of St. Petersburg.

DeSantis has cleansed water management officials, hired a chief science officer, and ordered a task force to solve the toxic algae crisis. 

Kriseman, a Democratic and environmentally-focused mayor, welcomes the change in Tallahassee.

"I think [those moves were] fantastic," he said. "It certainly isn't something that the prior administration did."

DeSantis has also strayed from his predecessor in pardoning the Groveland Four and in allowing smokeable medical marijuana. And one of his nearly 30 policy announcements ordered a revamp of Common Core education standards. 

The education commissioner will announce changes in a year.

"If the replacements are less popular, or more complicated than what we have, that is where this decision to overhaul public education can backfire," said FOX 13 Political Editor Craig Patrick.

Other waiting obstacles could be a hurricane or an algae bloom on par with last year's. Also, will the Trump Administration move forward with plans to drill for oil offshore? 

That could test the relationship between DeSantis and the president, whom the governor may need to expedite hurricane aid.

"That is where governors are ultimately judged, in those moments of crisis or how they respond," added Patrick.