ORLANDO, Florida — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took a victory lap for his leadership on the coronavirus during the opening speech of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Under DeSantis, Florida shied away from economic lockdowns and strict gathering limits, in contrast to other states, led by Democratic and Republican governors, that used both tools to mitigate the health risks posed by a pandemic that is nearly a year old. As a result, Florida has seen an influx of new residents, and its economy has been more resilient than in other states.