Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, speaks at the official opening of a monoclonal antibody website. Marta Lavandier/AP Photo Florida turns on DeSantis
TALLAHASSEE Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Republican culture wars commander who became the heir apparent to Donald Trump, has been untouchable over the past year. This is changing with the latest coronavirus outbreak.
As the state struggles to provide adequate health care, a shortage of staff and space for patients and oxygen, covid infection rates are on the rise. Around 16,000 people are currently hospitalized. The number of child infections has risen. Even Republican strongholds are seeing school districts rebel against DeSantis antimask mandates. DeSantis ban on vaccine passports is also being resisted by cruise lines. Even his poll numbers are dropping.
This is a new territory for a Republican governor, who defied all expectations during the first wave Covid-19. However, he continues to be patient as the more contagious Delta variant infects wide swathes of Florida's unvaccinated population.
DeSantis was unable to punish school districts that have passed mask mandates. This is despite his administration having threatened to do so after imposing emergency rules that would ban mask mandates from schools. DeSantis claims that these districts are violating the law. Cooper's blistering ruling was read from the bench over a nearly two-hour hearing.
DeSanti's 2022 reelection bid and, more generally, his future White House ambitions are becoming interconnected through the multi-front Covid-19 fight. The governor is still popular with conservatives in Florida and across the country, but his refusal to enforce Covid-related restrictions in the face of hundreds of virus-related deaths and increasing infection rates could threaten his ability to be elected.
It is clear that it has an impact on him politically, according to a Republican consultant who previously worked with DeSantis. He requested anonymity in order to speak freely. You can boast all you like about freedom and anti-lockdown. There is no political strategy that works for tired parents and sick children.
According to a Quinnipiac University survey, DeSantis approval rating was below 50 percent. Only 47 percent of respondents praised his job performance and only 45 percent disapproved. When DeSantis was asked about his handling public schools, those numbers fell to 44-51. Quinnipiac's poll is similar to other polling which shows a similar erosion in DeSantis approval rating. An earlier St. Pete Polls poll showed that 43 percent of respondents liked the job he did, while only 48 percent disagreed.
This poll brought down President Joe Biden who is often the target of DeSantis' criticism. Florida's approval rating for Biden is at 40%, and 53 percent disapprove his job performance. This poll was taken between August 17-21, when Biden was under heavy criticism for his withdrawal from Afghanistan.
DeSantis, however, has been focusing his efforts in recent weeks to travel the state and promote new monoclonal antibody treatment sites. If the treatment is administered soon after infection, it can decrease the chance that a Covid-19 victim will end up in the hospital. It is not as effective as vaccines in preventing severe illness or death. 21 sites have been opened by the state. One America News Network, a conservative media outlet, will air a 2-day series entitled America's Governor and Florida's Grit: Antibody Therapy Combats COVID-19.
DeSantis said Thursday that early treatment can make a big difference in keeping people out of the hospital. You still need to have prevalence, even if there are a lot of people who have been vaccinated.
DeSantis said that it will be a part of our lives.
However, his fight with schools about masking children has escalated. 10 school districts have already resisted the governor's order prohibiting schools from implementing mask mandates. This includes Sarasota County School Districts and Indian River County School Districts. These districts are located in conservative-leaning parts of the state.
Cooper, Friday's judge, opened the doors to more local resistance. Cooper ruled against DeSantis' administration and said that the Parents Bill of Rights, which was previously championed by DeSantis, actually allows districts to create their own mask policies.
Cooper stated that a school district adopting a policy such as a mask mandate is acting within the bounds of the Parents Bill of Rights granted to it by the Florida Legislature. The doctrine of separation requires that the discretionary powers of the school board cannot be influenced by the judiciary or the executive branch.
Taryn Fenske, DeSantis' communications director, stated that they would appeal.
It is not surprising that Judge Cooper would uphold parents' rights and allow them to make the best medical and educational decisions for their families, but instead she ruled in favor of elected politicians. This ruling was based on incoherent reasoning and not science and facts.
Last week, the infection rates for children under 12 years old, who are not eligible for the vaccine, increased to 23 percent. This is an increase from an average of 15 per cent since March 1. Nearly 17,000 Covid-19 patients remain in hospitals. This is well above the 2020 peak. Florida's almost 1,500 deaths last week were the largest single increase in seven-days since Covid-19 data began to be reported.
DeSantis' losses due to Covid-19 policy are not limited to land.
Disney, one the largest Republican donors in Florida, joined Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean this week in mandating vaccines for passengers over 12. The government of the Bahamas set vaccination requirements for cruise passengers. This is the primary stop for most cruise ships. This is a direct violation DeSantis-pressed legislation, which bars vaccine passports and provides guidance from the federal governments over cruise ship safety.
A federal judge in Miami stopped Florida from enforcing the law that was against Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. This ruling allowed other industry operators, such as Disney, to oppose DeSantis' wishes regarding vaccine passports. The decision will be appealed by DeSantis' attorneys.
DeSantis continues to use the pandemic as a way to support what was a well-oiled political fundraising operation. The governors' political committee sent a fundraising message based on a dispute he had with Associated Press. This story suggested that DeSantis was boosting monoclonal antibodies treatments to aid a political donor.
Christina Pushaw, DeSantis' press secretary, responded with a furious response. Her attack on the reporter responsible for the story resulted in a 12-hour Twitter suspension. The wire service also sent a letter asking DeSantis to stop bullying reporters.
Governors' political rivals are also focusing on the pandemic. Representative Charlie Crist, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Nikki Fried, DeSantis top 2022 Democratic opponents, have turned their attention to the administration's response.
Crists campaign stated in an email that Governor DeSantis made it clear that politics will be more important than keeping schools open and maintaining a strong economy. Today's ruling shows that he has overstepped his authority.
