Ron DeSantis vs. Blue States: Florida Shines in Coronavirus Response Despite Media Scrutiny

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 07: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces that he wants to raise the minimum starting salary for teachers during a press conference held at Bayview Elementary School on October 07, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Governor’s proposed 2020 budget recommendation will include a pay raise …Joe Raedle/Getty Images

HANNAH BLEAU15 May 20204,570

9:03

Critics accused Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of bungling his response to the coronavirus pandemic as it descended upon the Sunshine State, but after weeks of scrutiny, the Florida governor’s response is standing as a national model, as the state — which boasts more than 21 million residents — outshines its blue state counterparts.

DeSantis faced mounting pressure from politicians and media pundits, who warned that he waited too long to formally close his state. The governor, recognizing the unique profile of Florida, which varies vastly from region to region, largely allowed localities to determine their course of action.

Critics hit him hard. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) accused President Trump of “conveying an epic level of negligence and incompetence that is costing human lives” and threw DeSantis into the mix.

“And it’s not just Trump,” she said last month. “It is not just Trump. Look at DeSantis in Florida, who’s just calling for lockdowns today and Florida beaches have been packed.”

While DeSantis formally issued a stay-at-home order on April 1, that order occurred after he had already taken aggressive action against travelers from coronavirus hotspots, such as New Orleans and the New York Tri-State area. He imposed screenings at high traffic airports — which proved to be successful — and checkpoints along the Florida-Georgia border and Florida-Alabama border. He also issued a 14-day quarantine for individuals entering Florida from virus hotspots.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/15/ron-desantis-blue-states-florida-shines-coronavirus-response-media-scrutiny/