Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis canceled plans to campaign in South Carolina on Monday and speak with President Biden as the Sunshine State braces for Tropical Storm Idalia.
Biden offered federal aid and authorized a preliminary emergency declaration for Florida, where Idalia could make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane as early as Tuesday.
“President Biden said Florida will have his full support as they prepare for Idalia and its aftermath. President Biden also expressed his commitment to continued support for the people of Jacksonville following Saturday’s horrific shooting,” the White House said in a statement.
DeSantis, 44, was scheduled to attend the Faith and Freedom Rep. BBQ. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) in the Palmetto State, followed by a town hall event in Kershaw, South Carolina.
Ron DeSantis has a state to govern as he runs in the 2024 Republican primary. DeSantis War Room
Ron DeSantis went through Iowa after the debate before returning to Florida to reduce chances for Idalia.AP
DeSantis canceled Kershaw’s town hall and sent his wife, Casey, to Duncan’s barbecue instead, According to to his press secretary Bryan Griffin.
“There’s a time and a place to have a political season, but then there’s a time and a place to say this is something life-threatening,” DeSantis said during a press conference Monday.
The Faith and Freedom BBQ is one of the largest annual Republican gatherings in South Carolina and is expected to draw thousands.
WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis says hurricane response is more important than being on the campaign trail
“There’s a time and a place to have a political season, but then there’s a time and a place to say this is something life-threatening.” pic.twitter.com/UwhGjvy0lM
— Florida Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 28, 2023
On Saturday, DeSantis issued a state of emergency for 33 of Florida’s 67 counties, which he expanded to cover 46 counties on Monday. The National Hurricane Center placed most of Florida’s Gulf Coast under a hurricane and storm watch.
“I signed the Executive Order issuing the state of emergency out of an abundance of caution to ensure that the Florida Division of Emergency Management can begin staging resources and that Floridians have plenty of time to prepare their families for next week’s storm,” DeSantis said in a statement Saturday.
Tropical Storm Idalia is forecast to become a major hurricane before reaching Florida’s Gulf coast.NOAA
“I encourage Floridians to have a plan and keep their hurricane supply kits stocked.”
DeSantis had to deal with a pair of crises over the weekend as Florida grappled with both the impending storm and the aftermath of a racially motivated shooting in which a white gunman killed three black people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville on Saturday.
On Sunday, the governor gave a news conference about the storm and attended a vigil for Jacksonville victims, where he was jeered by some in the crowd.
Ron DeSantis’ wife, Casey, is his most trusted surrogate. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
President Biden has faced scrutiny for his handling of the recent wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.REUTERS
“What he did was completely unacceptable in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said of the gunman. “We will not allow people to be targeted based on their race.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
