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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Misses Opportunity for Bipartisanship During Hurricane Idalia Response

Sen. Rick Scott praised President Joe Biden and his FEMA leadership, saying the president “did a great job” preparing resources ahead of the hurricane and getting relief out fast. | Julio Cortez/AP Photo

President Joe Biden’s visit to Florida to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia was expected to be a moment of bipartisan unity amid a crisis. However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a prominent GOP presidential candidate, surprised many when he chose not to meet with President Biden, citing “security preparations” that would disrupt recovery efforts.

While Governor DeSantis was absent, Republican Senator Rick Scott, who has had public disagreements with DeSantis, met with President Biden in Live Oak. Senator Scott praised the administration’s disaster response efforts, expressing gratitude for the president’s swift action in providing resources for hurricane relief.

President Biden and the First Lady visited areas affected by Hurricane Idalia, taking an aerial tour of the devastated communities and participating in briefings with federal personnel, local officials, and first responders. They also toured the Live Oak community and met with residents who had been impacted by the hurricane, which caused extensive damage to over 6,000 homes and resulted in at least one fatality.

Governor DeSantis did not hold a public press conference on Saturday, although he had provided regular updates in the days leading up to and following the hurricane. His office announced that he had been distributing meals in Horseshoe Beach, a community in Dixie County on the Gulf Coast.

The governor’s office did not provide further details about why he chose to skip the meeting with President Biden, despite previous expectations that they would appear together during times of crisis, as they had after the Surfside condo collapse in 2021 and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre stated that President Biden had informed Governor DeSantis of his trip during a phone call on Thursday, and the governor did not indicate any intention to avoid meeting with the president. Jean Pierre emphasized that the trip was not about politics but about the president being present for the community in times of crisis.

White House officials reiterated that the trip was coordinated closely with FEMA, state, and local leaders to minimize disruptions to ongoing response operations. President Biden was joined by Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

While Governor DeSantis and President Biden have clashed on various issues, particularly regarding policy decisions in Florida, Saturday’s opportunity for bipartisan cooperation could have showcased DeSantis’ ability to lead during natural disasters, even when working with political adversaries.

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