
DeSantis' rising star -- and fraught relationship with Trump -- on display as CPAC kicks off in Florida
CNN
For the first time since 2017, the hottest name at the Conservative Political Action Conference might be someone other than Donald Trump.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, scheduled to help open CPAC here on Thursday afternoon, has quickly become a favorite of the Republican base, brandishing a national image as a hard-charging fighter against coronavirus precautions and a big-state executive who doesn't shy away from cultural clashes.
"America's Governor," he was dubbed by Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, in a tweet announcing DeSantis' addition to the CPAC lineup. Already, there is chatter that DeSantis could be destined to run for president, perhaps as soon as 2024.

The two men killed as they floated holding onto their capsized boat in a secondary strike against a suspected drug vessel in early September did not appear to have radio or other communications devices, the top military official overseeing the strike told lawmakers on Thursday, according to two sources with direct knowledge of his congressional briefings.












