Biden Calls DeSantis Ahead Of Storm
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received a call from the White House Monday morning as the state’s Gulf Coast prepares for the potential devastation from Hurricane Idalia.
President Joe Biden, calling the Florida governor to discuss the federal emergency declaration before the storm is expected to make landfall, spoke to the governor about the devastating storm set to make contact in the early hours of Wednesday morning. FEMA personnel have already been deployed to the region in anticipation of the storm.
The emergency declaration allows for quick coordination of disaster-relief efforts that can quickly be implemented. Take 33 counties spanning from Lee County in Southwest Florida to Franklin County in the Panhandle; Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency over the weekend. A further 1,100 members of the National Guard were mobilized in the warning.
The press conference and call on Monday morning comes at a significant moment for DeSantis, seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Governor DeSantis' poll numbers have slid in the months since he launched his campaign, but with his focus on key early-voting states like Iowa; he is looking to make strides politically.
The Governor’s wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, will now attend the U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan’s annual Faith & Freedom BBQ in South Carolina in his place. During Monday’s call, Biden and DeSantis discussed a lethal shooting that occurred in Jacksonville over the weekend that left three black people dead.
Upon visiting the city Sunday, Governor DeSantis immediately pledged financial resources for the victims’ families and further ramped up the security for Edward University- a renowned Historically Black college in Jacksonville.
Relations between Biden and DeSantis have always been a bit frosty, but during their last meeting, discussing Hurricane Ian, the two leaders put aside their differences and worked together.
“Mr. President, welcome to Florida; we appreciate working together across various levels of government,” DeSantis said then.
The message is the same now; as the two leaders work together to address the oncoming storm. But just as important, as the discussions continued, emergency resources are being implemented in an effort to save lives and ensure the safety of the people of Florida.
The clock is ticking and the people of Florida have yet to feel the impact of the storm, but Monday’s call was a crucial step to ensure the state is prepared for the worst.