Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn't want to be pictured with Joe Biden. The president of the United States has traveled this Saturday to Florida to take an interest in the damage caused by Hurricane Idaliaas it passes through the state. DeSantis, who participated in an event with Biden after the passage of the destructive Hurricane Ian in October of last year, has avoided this time the illustrious visitor, turned into the rival to beat by the Republicans in the presidential elections of 2024. In increasingly polarized American politics, not even a natural disaster has served this time to bury the hatchet in public.
Republicans are still criticizing former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for hugging then-President Barack Obama to thank federal aid for the effects of devastating Hurricane Sandy. Christie, now also a candidate, was thrown in the face in the first debate of the primaries. DeSantis is already doing badly enough in the polls to be seen with Biden, demonized by the Republican base.
The president and governor have spoken by phone this week and the federal government has provided assistance in responding to the hurricane, but before the arrival of Biden, what DeSantis has done is to say that the logistics of a presidential trip complicated rescue efforts.
Biden was criticized for his slow and clumsy political reaction to the Hawaii fire in August, when when asked at the first question about the fire, he replied: "No comment." This time, he was hoping to see DeSantis, he said Friday. The federal head of emergency services, Deanne Criswell, was preparing the visit with DeSantis' team and both she and White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said she gave no indication that she would not be present. "It's not about politics. It doesn't matter if it's a red [Republican] state or a blue [Democratic] state, the president is going to show up and be there for the community," said Jean-Pierre. Although the governor has later shown his hostility to the visit, he has decided to go anyway.
Biden has flown by helicopter over Suwanee County, the area most affected by the hurricane, and then went to Live Oak, its capital, a population of just under 7,000 inhabitants. He has met with emergency teams, whom he has praised for their work, and with those affected, to whom he has promised more help during an intervention in front of one of the houses damaged by the hurricane.
"There haven't been winds as strong as these in 100 years and let's pray there won't be another 100 years," he said. And although DeSantis was not present, he has made it clear that there has been communication between them during the crisis. I have been in frequent contact with Governor DeSantis since the storm made landfall," he said, adding that it only took six hours to issue a "major disaster declaration" since the governor requested it. "We are making federal systems available to those affected in Florida, whose businesses and homes have been damaged and destroyed," he continued, listing the means deployed on the ground. "Now the storm has passed, we're not going anywhere. The federal government is here to help the state for as long as it takes."
Suspension of the campaign
DeSantis interrupted his campaign because of Idalia, whose effect has been far less destructive and deadly than Ian's last year. In that campaign, his attempt to take on Trump in the Republican race is foundering for now.
The latest poll, published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal, indicates that Trump is the favorite by 59% of Republican voters, despite (or thanks to) his four indictments for dozens of crimes. The aforementioned survey places DeSantis second with 13%, elevates the former ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley to third place with 8% and attributes to the revelation candidate of the Republican primaries, the entrepreneur of the world of technology Vivek Ramaswamy, only 5%, leaving in a marginal position to the rest of the candidates.
DeSantis is, yes, the second choice for 35% of voters, but his chances of success depend on Trump not being in the race, which seems highly unlikely. The former president may have the primaries won by the time there is the first verdict on guilt or innocence in any of the pending criminal trials. At the moment he has taken advantage of the accusations to capture funds and votes.
The WSJ poll would put Trump ahead of Biden with 40% to 39% in voting intention. The skewed support for the marginal candidates of the Green Party and the Libertarians (3% in total), may end up being important, but those who will really tip the balance are the approximately 17% of undecided, a fishing ground in which Trump will probably have more difficulty capturing votes.
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