TAMPA, Fla. — After months of traveling coast to coast, Gov. Ron DeSantis brought his presidential campaign back to Florida Thursday and again defended the state's response to the COVID pandemic.

His Thursday event in Tampa was one of the first he has held in the Sunshine State since he launched his presidential bid back in May.

In recent months, he has focused on states like Iowa, South Carolina and other early voting states.

At downtown Tampa’s “The Vault,” DeSantis talked about COVID, his suspension of Hillsborough County State Attorney Anthony Warren and the state’s efforts to recruit police officers to Florida.

Speaking to a room full of supporters, who were also members of law enforcement, DeSantis said he would be a “law and order” president. 

“This country as a whole is going in the wrong direction,” he said. “This country is in a state of decline.”

“We’ve tackled problems here (in Florida) and created a place where people want to come,” he added.

He railed against what he called “COVID authoritarianism” when many cities and states were shutting down during the early months of the pandemic.

DeSantis specifically mentioned Anthony Fauci — the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WATCH: We've posted the governor's Tampa remarks in full above.

“We had to fight back against a lot of people to keep this state free," DeSantis said. "We were right, and they were wrong. We did it right."

Resident Scott Derby said he became a fan of DeSantis during the pandemic.

“(He was) willing to stand up for the people of Florida,” he said of the governor. “Despite polls or talking heads on TV. Whether you agree with him or not, he seems principled that if he believes in something, he will carry it out.”

DeSantis reminded the audience that he will have a November debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“It’s not as much about Florida-California, because that debate is over,” he said. “People are leaving there and moving here. You can’t argue that when people vote with their feet.”

DeSantis also talked about the Mexican border, saying there are many reasons he believes it is not secure, and said as president he will treat Mexican drug cartels like they are foreign terrorists.

“The president has a right and duty to fight back with lethal force,” he said.

Resident Ronald Cibello said it is time for someone new to take charge, and believes DeSantis is the right guy.

“I like that he's not afraid to stand up," Cibello said. "I like that he is younger and has a fresh mind."

The Thursday event happened as DeSantis was struggling to get in the good graces of voters.

In a recent poll of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, he is trailing third in the GOP primary.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is in second place with 19%, with DeSantis sitting at 10%.

Former President Donald Trump still remains the leading candidate with nearly 50% support. The poll, with a plus/minus of 4.4 percentage points, was taken after the second GOP debate.

Stay with Spectrum News and the Spectrum News app for coverage of DeSantis and his Thursday visit to Tampa.