TALLAHASSEE, Fla. >> Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended the elected state prosecutor of Tampa on Thursday for pledging not to enforce the state’s new 15-week abortion ban and for supporting gender transition treatments for minors.

The Republican governor announced the suspension of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, a Democrat, in the county’s Sheriff’s Office.

“When you flagrantly violate your oath of office, when you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty, you have neglected your duty and you are displaying a lack of competence to be able to perform those duties,” DeSantis said to cheers. The suspension comes as DeSantis runs for reelection in Florida and builds his national profile as a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate through nearly constant criticism of liberal policies on abortion, policing and other culture war issues.

— The Associated Press