President Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were once seen as a united front during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, but their relationship appears to have changed. As President Biden prepares to tour the Big Bend region of Florida to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia, Governor DeSantis has stated that there are no plans for them to meet. According to DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, the security preparations and ongoing recovery efforts in rural communities make it impossible to arrange a meeting. This contradicts President Biden’s earlier statement that he would be meeting with DeSantis during his visit.
The response from DeSantis’ team contradicts what President Biden had indicated earlier. Despite DeSantis’ claims that a meeting would hinder recovery efforts, the White House has stated that the president’s visit is well-coordinated with FEMA, as well as state and local leaders, to ensure that there is no impact on the response operation. When questioned about the initial indication of a meeting with DeSantis, a White House official explained that the governor did not express concerns at that time.
However, the decision to meet or not meet with President Biden poses political risks for Governor DeSantis. If DeSantis were to meet with Biden, there is the risk of appearing too closely aligned with a Democrat, especially one seeking re-election. This was evident in 2012 when Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie received backlash for warmly greeting President Obama before the presidential election. On the other hand, if DeSantis chooses not to meet with Biden, he runs the risk of appearing partisan during a time of crisis. According to a GOP strategist, it is crucial for DeSantis to remain supportive of the president’s visit to his state.
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