Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday laid out his economic vision for the country if he’s elected president, targeting China, environmentally minded policies, immigration and more. 

The theme of the Republican candidate’s policy speech in Rochester, New Hampshire, was, “We will declare our economic independence.”

The speech came at a time when DeSantis is trying to reinvigorate his campaign as polls show him sliding farther behind former President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination. 

It also was an opportunity to try to shift some of the focus away from Trump, including his legal troubles, which have overshadowed the rest of the Republican field. Ending any chance of the conversation veering toward Trump, DeSantis took a handful of questions from reporters after his speech but refused to discuss any issues not related to the economy. 

“At the end of the day, economic policy is really not even as much about dollars and cents,” DeSantis said. “Obviously, it is. But the bigger question is, what kind of a country do we want to have?”

Saying the U.S. is “in decline,” DeSantis aired a lengthy list of grievances about the economy. They included cost of living soaring, corporations becoming too powerful while small businesses struggle, China’s nefarious actions impacting the U.S., illegal immigrants uncutting jobs and wages, and more.

He also attacked President Joe Biden on inflation, regulations and environmental policies.

“Economic policy needs to be focused on making the cost of living more affordable and the American dream more attainable for American working families,” the Florida governor said. “And if you don't get that right, you cannot be successful as a country.”

DeSantis touted his economic record as Florida’s governor, pointing to national rankings that put the state No. 1. He also boasted about paying down the state’s debt and having budget surpluses under his leadership. 

And DeSantis credited himself for keeping Florida’s economy running by quickly lifting lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We show the way forward to restore freedom and opportunity for people all throughout this country, and I will fight as president for the American people just like we fought for the people of Florida,” he said.

DeSantis presented a 10-pronged strategy for the economy, which includes

• Taking a firmer stand against China by ending massive trade deficits, refusing to import goods using stolen intellectual property and incentivizing investment in the U.S.

• Achieving stronger economic growth by increasing domestic manufacturing, improving productivity and cutting regulations.

• Achieving energy independence.

• Ending environmental, social and corporate governance, or ESG, investing strategies, which he called the “politicization of the economy.”

• Halting affirmative action policies, which he called discriminatory, throughout the economy.

• Reforming the education system, including by allowing school choice and improving technical training that does not require a four-year college degree.

• Making changes to the immigration system to drive down the number of “unskilled migration coming into this country” 

• Reining in the Federal Reserve, which he blamed for making mortgages expensive by increasing interest rates.

• Ensuring “bad economic actors are held responsible,” citing as an example the Silicon Valley Bank failure in March.

• Cutting congressional spending.

Ahead of the speech Monday morning, the Democratic National Committee issued a statement in which it called DeSantis’ economic vision “extreme” and attacked his record as governor.

“Floridians are begging him to address the catastrophic economic failures he’s left them, including some of the fastest-rising housing costs in the country, skyrocketing property insurance rates, and exorbitant health care costs,” DNC spokesman Ammar Moussa said in a statement. “At the same time, DeSantis has lined the pockets of Florida’s wealthiest and biggest corporations with tax giveaways. 

“It remains a mystery why DeSantis would try to reboot his dumpster fire of a campaign by promising to bring his failures as governor nationwide, but by all means, we welcome Republicans to continue reminding the American people how catastrophic the MAGA agenda is for the economy.”