Most people in the state of Florida are probably happy Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and Democratic President Joe Biden put aside partisan politics to organize much-needed relief for Floridians.
However, some Democratic partisans and operatives in the state have publicly expressed their anger with President Biden and their inability to exploit Hurricane Ian for political gain.
An article on CNN begins by discussing Crist’s strategy in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, saying that he planned to attack DeSantis due to allegations that he delayed a shipment of relief supplies in one area so he could survey the damage.
Then, Biden’s joint appearance with DeSantis took the wind out of Crist’s sails, according to one Democratic political strategist.
“The dynamics of the race needed to shift, and this was an opportunity for it to shift,” the strategist said. “The President complimenting the governor takes that whole issue off the table.”
Florida Democrat "strategist" admits that @FlaDems & @CharlieCrist are disappointed that they couldn't exploit a natural disaster to attack their political opponent.
In other words, they were rooting for Gov. DeSantis to fail, instead of hoping for the best for Floridians. pic.twitter.com/WlpKRHrDBS
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 #FloridaStrong (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 9, 2022
Biden reportedly complimented DeSantis on his leadership, saying that he has done a “good job” organizing relief efforts in the state.
He also said he has been working “in lockstep” with the Florida Governor.
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“We have very different political philosophies, but we worked hand in glove,” Biden said. “On things related to dealing with this crisis, we’ve been completely in lockstep. There’s been no difference.”
President Biden says he and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) have worked in “lockstep” on Hurricane Ian recovery efforts:
“We have very different political philosophies, but we’ve worked hand in glove.” pic.twitter.com/2xrTDPj6gQ
— The Recount (@therecount) October 5, 2022
One former Democratic State Representative said dissatisfied Democrats in Florida blew up his phone with text messages about how Biden’s appearance with DeSantis would undermine Crist’s bid for Governor and Democrats across the state.
The Representative, Sean Shaw, said he understood Biden’s decision.
“What else is Biden gonna say?” Shaw said in a text message to CNN.
Crist, for his part, has struggled to find his footing after DeSantis’ impressive response to Hurricane Ian.
On his public social media accounts, he has pivoted from discussing Hurricane Ian to falling back on familiar talking points such as abortion and other social issues.
On Saturday, he posted images of his appearance at a pro-choice rally in Florida.
I proudly stand with all the women marching today in Florida and across the country.
I will always be an ally in the fight to protect your right to choose. pic.twitter.com/8pxSKCEzha
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) October 8, 2022
In a recent interview on MSNBC, he attempted to link DeSantis’ reversal on Hurricane aid to his stance on abortion.
“It sure would be nice to be kind of consistent about what you believe versus what you think is an emergency situation,” Crist said. “He just seems to be inconsistent on so many things. He talks about freedom, for example. Yet he wants to attack a woman’s right to choose. I mean, it’s consistent all the way.”
Additional stories you may want to read:
Crist Moves on From Hurricane Ian, Goes Woke in Final Month Before Midterms
