Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to confirm if he intends to run for president in 2024 – but his wife Casey showed her potential as first lady at his inauguration today, when she made some very special comments from the wives of past presidents Jackie Kennedy and Melania Trump got clear fashion inspiration.
The 46-year-old mother of three, Mamie, two, Mason, four, and Madison, five, channeled the royal glamor of Jackie with her perfectly coiffed updo as she led her brood out to the kids.
Meanwhile, her elegant choice of ensemble — which revolved around a $2,600 pale green Alex Perry cape dress with sleek white gloves — was remarkably similar to outfits Melania and Jackie previously wore during their husbands’ tenure had.
Casey then completed the look at her husband’s inauguration at the Old Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. with silver hoop earrings and a pair of timeless cream pumps.
Casey DeSantis stunned in a green cape dress at the inauguration of her husband Ron as he was sworn in for a second term as Governor of Florida
She sits next to her two children, Mason and Madison. Her husband, Ron, is on the far right
Ron has so far declined to say whether he would run for the presidency, instead focusing on running for the governor’s mansion.
But former colleagues of Casey’s from local broadcaster WJXT told Vanity Fair earlier this year: “I remember saying that once [to a colleague], ‘Casey wants to be a senator’s wife.’ And he said, ‘No, she has every intention of becoming a president’s wife.’
Casey is following in the fashion-forward footsteps of modern-day royals like Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Queen Letizia of Spain, all of whom have donned the cape dress themselves in a range of shades and iterations.
The sophisticated simplicity of the dress and look was also reminiscent of screen icon Audrey Hepburn, who was known for her understated style that accentuated her petite figure. Casey’s hair is swept back to resemble Audrey’s favorite hairstyle and the silhouette of the dress flatters her waist.
Casey’s husband Ron opted for a classic navy blue suit with a light blue tie for his big day to coordinate with his mini-me son Mason.
Meanwhile, her daughters – Mamie and Madison – were gorgeous in navy blue dresses paired with white long-sleeved blouses with scalloped collars.
Her hair was styled in a half up half down ponytail and finished off with white ribbons.
Casey’s former colleagues have reportedly said she aspires to the White House. She is pictured on the left and on the right is Jackie Kennedy in a green dress and white gloves
The sophisticated simplicity of the dress and look was also reminiscent of screen icon Audrey Hepburn
Jackie has always been the epitome of glamour. She is pictured left in white gloves in 1963 and right in 1962 with John F. Kennedy in a cape
Ron, a potential presidential nominee for 2024, was sworn in for a second term Tuesday and said freedom lives in Florida.
Ron defeated Democrat Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor and Democratic congressman, by more than 29 percentage points in November.
It was a huge outburst in a state known for close elections, and other Republicans in the statewide vote won by similar margins.
Born in Jacksonville, Ron has an impressive educational background with degrees from both Yale and Harvard Law – he was even captain of the former’s baseball team.
He joined the Navy from Harvard, where he was quickly assigned to the famous legal faction, the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), working with detainees at Guantanamo Bay and as legal counsel for Navy SEALS in Iraq.
Speaking to The New Yorker, a friend said Ron, who is still a Harvard law student, was inspired to join the Navy after seeing A Few Good Men, in which Tom Cruise plays a JAG attorney.
Ron left the service in 2010 and married Casey, then a local television news anchor who has been described as “one of the most recognizable faces on Jacksonville television,” within a year after he met her on a golf driving range at a white Wedding at Disney World. Orlando.
It was a picture-perfect union, sealed in a place where fairy tales are the currency, and within 12 years they would be the Republican golden couple.
Casey (left) also channeled Melania (right), who wore pastels and gloves to husband Donald’s inauguration in 2017
Casey holds a Bible as her husband is sworn into office with little Mason standing in front of her
Melania holds the Bible in her hands as her husband takes the oath of office on January 20, 2017
The DeSantis family waves to the crowd as they emerge from the Old Capitol
Along with their three young children, they were described as a family “ready for a political campaign pamphlet.”
Insiders say it was Casey who shaped her husband’s fate. According to those in the know, she is widely recognized as his closest adviser and confidant, a de facto member of his staff and a driving force behind his success, the influence of which has been compared to that of Nancy Reagan on her husband.
They say it was Casey who fueled his meteoric rise and used her media training to polish his image for the national stage.
The ex-journalist is the “emotional tuning fork” that softens a man whom ex-staff members have described as a “bully” with “the personality of a piece of paper,” insiders close to DeSantis’ office told Vanity Fair in November last year.
Audrey Hepburn (pictured in the undated photo) exuded old Hollywood glamor with her understated style that accentuated her petite figure. She is pictured here in white gloves
Casey’s slicked-back hair resembles Audrey’s favorite hairstyle (pictured around 1960 when filming of Breakfast at Tiffany’s began) and the silhouette of the dress flatters her waist
Despite a public battle with cancer, which went into remission in March, Casey has remained as active as ever, attending almost all of her husband’s campaign events and even answering his emails.
Polished and articulate, the would-be first lady has spearheaded multiple fundraisers for her husband, ranging from cancer research to the Hurricane Ian rescue effort.
Their shared ambition and drive, combined with pundits’ talk that 2024 will be their year, certainly has the 44-year-old Florida governor-turned-enemy’s old mentor Donald Trump, who himself strongly hints at another run upset.
Among his attacks on a man he recently dubbed “Ron DeSanctimonious,” the ex-president hinted that he would be quick to attack his friend-turned-enemy.
In an interview with on Trump Force One Monday night, Trump said, “I don’t know if DeSantis will run … But if he did run, I could tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering.” I know more about him than maybe his wife. Even Trump described Casey as “the guy who’s really running his (DeSantis) campaign.”