FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump greets Gov. Ron DeSantis as he arrives at West Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) As Gov. Ron DeSantis struggled to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats readied to pounce. The state’s economy was in tatters, infections and deaths were on the rise and there were doubts about the Republican’s plan to lead Florida out of crisis. Now that the pandemic appears to be waning and DeSantis is heading into his reelection campaign next year, he has emerged from the political uncertainty as one of the most prominent Republican governors and an early White House front-runner in 2024 – if former President Donald Trump doesn’t run again. As DeSantis’ national stature has risen, he has remained defiant in the face of continued attacks on his hard-line opposition to mask mandates and lockdowns. “Hold the line. Don’t back down,” he told a crowd at a party fundraiser in Pittsburgh on May 20. “And in the state of Florida, with me as governor, I have only begun to fight.” […]