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‘Florida doing it right!’ DeSantis completes Founding Father series with unveiling of James Madison statue

May 15, 2026 | | Print Article

Gov. Ron DeSantis marked the tenth and final installment this week in a series designed to recognize America’s Founding Fathers, unveiling a statue of President James Madison, known as the “Father of the Constitution.”

“We honor President James Madison for his integral role in the founding of our nation and the American acquisition of Florida,” Gov. DeSantis said in a statement. “As part of our commemoration of America’s semiquincentennial this year, we have unveiled statues of great Americans throughout our state. With this new statue in Madison County, we now have statues of our Founding Fathers in every Florida county that is named for a founder. These statues symbolize Florida’s commitment to celebrating our nation’s history and the great men who laid the foundation for the American experiment.”

Under DeSantis, Florida is leading the way to honor individuals who shaped our nation over the past 250 years, as the nation looks to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July.

“Today’s unveiling is part of Florida’s broader initiative to honor the individuals who shaped our nation over the past 250 years and to preserve America’s civic pride and heritage for future generations,” the Governor’s office said in a statement. “Florida has led the way in establishing monuments to influential leaders, including statues of Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, as well as more recent figures like Ronald Reagan, Frederick Douglass, and Calvin Coolidge.”

There are 5 Florida counties named directly after U.S. presidents. These counties are Jackson (Andrew Jackson), Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson), Madison (James Madison), Monroe (James Monroe), and Polk (James K. Polk). There is also Franklin County (Benjamin Franklin), Hamilton County (Alexander Hamilton), and Lafayette County (named after Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette, who played a key role in the American Revolutionary War).

While the left looks to tear down statues of important American figures, it comes as no surprise that DeSantis-led Florida takes action to honor these heroes — here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:

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Tom Tillison
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