Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Governor faces leadership test
As Hurricane Dorian swirled off the east coast, Floridians got their first glimpse of how Gov. Ron DeSantis handles storms, a challenge that can make or break politicians.
Just eight months on the job, the new Republican governor insisted politics was the last thing on his mind when he geared up to lead the state’s response.
“I don’t view it politically at all,” DeSantis said during a briefing. “We are trying to protect the state, protect people.”
But history shows hurricanes can have far-reaching political consequences. A good response can showcase politicians as nonpartisan leaders in firm command, while floundering during a disaster can ruin a political career.
“In the Northeast, it’s how well can your mayor and governor clear the streets of snow,” said Josh Scacco, a political scientist at the University of South Florida. “In Florida, it’s how well can your mayor and governor clear debris and get the power back on after a hurricane.”
At one point, nearly 19 million Floridians were in Dorian’s path. With their livelihoods at stake, they kept their eyes glued to updates from DeSantis and other leaders. The forecast improved for Florida, but the Bahamas suffered a catastrophic hit.
Even if Florida’s damage is light, DeSantis will be graded on how he handled preparations. Everything can be scrutinized from the governor’s clothing to his delivery style during press conferences.
Former Gov. Rick Scott’s Navy cap became his hurricane trademark. Now a senator, Scott hasn’t put away the hat, wearing it at news conferences and during an appearance Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.
In broiling South Florida heat, DeSantis started his media blitz in a blue windbreaker at the National Hurricane Center. Then he shed the windbreaker, appearing in Palm Beach County in a button-up shirt bearing the state seal, bluejeans and cowboy boots.
Scott dealt with several major storms during his eight years as governor. He led the state through Hurricane Irma in 2017 and last year’s Hurricane Michael, the first Category 5 storm to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Scott used images of his hurricane response efforts in campaign ads when running for Senate, but he also faced criticism when 12 people died in a sweltering Hollywood nursing home after Hurricane Irma cut power.
In the lead-up to Dorian, DeSantis touted his close ties with President Donald Trump as helping him secure whatever federal aid was needed, but the governor avoided some of the president’s flubs that drew criticism.
Trump appeared unaware that Category 5 hurricanes had struck the United States, most recently in 2018 when Michael ravaged Florida’s Panhandle. The president warned that Alabama was in Dorian’s path, a comment that had to be corrected by the National Weather Service.
DeSantis took a less dire tone in his warnings about Dorian than Scott did during Irma. A mass exodus clogged roadways as Floridians fled Irma in 2017. That storm threatened both of the state’s coasts.
The new governor said he takes a “bottom-up” approach that relies on local emergency managers to make calls on evacuations.
“I think there was frustration in the past when people were kind of crisscrossing the state having to evacuate — actually, some people evacuating into the storm path because they were told to evacuate at a certain time and the storm track changed,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis was riding high politically going into Dorian. With a 57% approval rating, DeSantis is among the top 10 most popular governors in the country, according to the Morning Consult.
Storms can put a dent in poll numbers. The state’s poor response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992 sent Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles’ rating plummeting to 22%, according to a Miami Herald report. Chiles overcame the dip to win reelection in 1994 by a narrow margin.
DeSantis, 40, a former congressman, won the governorship without having led a large organization. But as a native Floridian who grew up in Dunedin, the new Republican governor said he isn’t a stranger to big storms.
He also benefits from an established emergency response system that is wellversed in handling largescale disasters, said Richard Olson, director of the Extreme Events Institute at Florida International University.
“Florida’s leadership tends to come out looking really good compared with other states, partly because of more experience and also because Florida has a lot more resources to throw into response,” Olson said.
While DeSantis can rely on a strong emergency response system, he also appealed to God for help.
During a trade mission to Israel in May, DeSantis slipped a written prayer into the crevices of the Western Wall.
He asked for Florida to be spared from hurricanes.