Florida Mayor Accuses Gov. Ron DeSantis Of Not Checking On State During Historic Floods; Away On Book Tour

As Florida grapples with historic flooding, Governor Ron DeSantis is being called out for not doing his part as Governor. Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor said while DeSantis was in Ohio for his book tour, he didn’t call and check on the area.

Mayor Dean Trantalis spoke during a press conference Thursday to give updates on the city after it was severely flooded this week due to record-breaking rainfall. The floods shut down the area’s major roads and turned the airport into a lake, Business Insider reported.

When asked by reporter Chris Nelson if he had spoken to DeSantis, Trantalis replied: “Governor DeSantis has not yet called,” and applauded the state agencies for being “very helpful” in working with the city amid the chaos.

Reports say DeSantis was in Ohio for a GOP event on Thursday. The event is part of his national tour for his book “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.”

DeSantis is expected to go after a 2024 presidential bid, hence his book tour. An email from the Trump campaign on Monday accused DeSantis of not formally declaring a 2024 run and using his governor’s salary to fund his unofficial travel they say they are tied to “campaigning.” 

DeSantis acknowledged Florida’s floods by declaring a state of emergency for Broward County.