Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday reportedly reaffirmed his commitment to expanding gun rights in Florida, signaling he will once again push lawmakers to approve open carry in the state.
Speaking in Plant City, the Republican governor cast the issue not as a political maneuver but as a matter of fundamental liberty.
“We should be an open-carry state,” DeSantis declared at G Five Feed & Outdoor, where he marked the beginning of a sales-tax holiday on firearms, ammunition, and outdoor recreation gear.
The holiday, running through the end of the year, exempts purchases of guns, ammunition, and camping and fishing supplies from sales taxes—a measure the governor framed as both economic relief and support for Florida’s sporting traditions.
The governor’s remarks underscored his long-held view that the right to bear arms should not be encumbered by restrictions he views as inconsistent with the Second Amendment. “I think we’re on record many times saying that hopefully this is the year,” he said, vowing continued pressure on lawmakers. “We’ll continue to fight for those freedoms.”
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, appearing alongside DeSantis, offered his backing. The joint appearance reflected a united front from Florida’s executive leadership as they seek to expand gun rights in a state that already permits concealed carry without a permit in most places.
But the effort has faced resistance inside the Republican-controlled Legislature. Previous attempts to pass open carry have faltered, largely due to opposition from within the party itself, with some lawmakers citing concerns voiced by law-enforcement leaders.
Senate President Ben Albritton, a Republican from Wauchula, has consistently sided with sheriffs and police organizations that have come out against open carry. “Let me be clear about this, I’ve supported law enforcement my entire life. It’s the way I was raised, and I’ve been super-consistent as a legislator to support law enforcement in Florida,” Albritton told reporters in November. “And I stand with them today in opposition [of allowing people to openly carry guns]. They oppose it. I trust my law-enforcement officials, and that’s where I stand.”
That deference to law enforcement has stalled momentum in the Senate, even as conservative voters and grassroots activists continue to demand action.
For DeSantis, who has built his political brand on championing freedoms he argues are under attack by liberals, the issue is likely to remain a litmus test of his willingness to buck establishment resistance.
Florida already permits concealed carry in most places, making it one of the more permissive states in the nation on firearms.
But for advocates of open carry, the ability to carry a weapon openly is both a constitutional principle and a symbol of trust between government and citizens.
By coupling his push with a sales-tax holiday aimed at hunters, sportsmen, and gun owners, DeSantis tied the debate to a broader narrative of preserving Florida’s traditions of independence and self-reliance.
His message was unambiguous: the right to bear arms, openly and without apology, is a freedom worth fighting for.
[READ MORE: DeSantis Launches Second Amendment Tax Holiday, Expanding Support for Gun Owners and Outdoor Families]
