Floridians are just getting to know Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis – his agenda, his style, his story. Even if he becomes Florida's 46th governor, however, we may never figure out the biggest mystery of all:
How the heck do you pronounce his name?
Seems straight forward. Just watch him speaking to the camera in a recent TV ad. "I'm Ron Dee-Santis…"
At Dunedin High everybody called him Dee. Case closed, right?
Well, check out Casey DeSantis, in that semi-famous Trump adoration ad featuring Dee teaching his toddler daughter to build a wall and dressing his infant son in a Trump onesie.
"Everyone knows my husband Ron Deh-Santis is endorsed by President Trump…"
We asked DeSantis campaign Communications Director Stephen Lawson to straighten out the Dee/Deh conundrum. It had become the source of debate in our newsroom.
"It's also been a little controversial for us on the campaign trail," Lawson confessed. "He uses Dee-Santis."
But Casey Dee-Santis, seems to use Deh-Santis, right?
Pause.
"Yes," Lawson allowed. And added, "He prefers Dee-Santis."
Whoa. So this is a giant source of great friction between Mr. Dee-Santis and Mrs. Deh-Santis, then?
"I wouldn't go that far," Lawson deadpanned.
The mystery lingers.
The Andrew Gil-LUM campaign declined to comment.