Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has once again been faced with a natural disaster in his state, and once again, he is crushing it. He didn’t hesitate to leave the campaign trail to take care of business, demonstrating once again what competence and leadership look like. Not only is DeSantis effectively managing the disaster response, but he’s also refusing to let the media politicize the situation.
Of course, that’s not stopping Donald Trump from taking shots at him. Trump is keenly aware that Ron DeSantis is his most formidable challenger. Despite Trump’s substantial lead in the polls, DeSantis has been his favorite target — even more than Joe Biden. With DeSantis off the campaign trail, Trump isn’t pulling any punches, even making an unfounded claim that DeSantis was on the verge of dropping out to run for the U.S. Senate.
Trump, who upstaged the Biden administration in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year by bringing supplies and water, hasn’t exactly been terribly concerned about the hurricane affecting his home state. In fact, when Hurricane Idalia was about to make landfall, Trump released a campaign video… bragging about his poll numbers.
As a hurricane was about to make landfall in Florida: pic.twitter.com/4W0dT4GdF6
— Bojac (@HeartlessBojac) August 30, 2023
While DeSantis is busy prepping his state for a massive hurricane, Trump has attacked him in four separate videos tonight
Oh and Trump hasn’t posted about the hurricane at all
Unreal pic.twitter.com/Godc261JTW
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— John Hasson (@SonofHas) August 30, 2023
It was a terrible look, and it seems that after several days of being silent about the hurricane, Trump has finally decided on his play: blast the heck out of it.
“So now it is learned that Governor Ron DeSanctimonious unnecessarily approved a 20% hike in Florida Electricity Rates, the largest in history (by far!), after taking a 9.5 Million Dollar Campaign Contribution from ‘money machine’ Florida Power and Light, and subsidiaries,” Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social. “Next up to check out is the Insurance Industry, where DeSanctus gave up the store. His campaign and poll numbers have ‘CRASHED’ to a point where it doesn’t much matter anymore, but what a shame for Florida!”
Trump’s behavior here is hardly surprising. DeSantis quickly sprung into action for the residents of his state. His leadership during a crisis will most certainly resonate with Americans, especially as it contrasts with Joe Biden’s botched responses to the environmental disaster in East Palestine earlier this year and the recent Maui wildfires.
Related: Is This the Breakout Moment Ron DeSantis Needs?
So why is Trump doing this? Why is he being so petty, attacking DeSantis as the hurricane made landfall and then ridiculously attacking his laudable response? Well, despite his lead in the polls, Trump appears to have hit a ceiling, and his numbers are starting to dip.
According to a poll analysis by FiveThirtyEight, Trump was the only GOP candidate to lose a significant amount of support after the debate. Trump needs to attack DeSantis in the hopes that it can blunt any potential political benefit he gets out of it. DeSantis may not be concerned about politics now, but Trump is.
As a Florida resident, a Republican, and a human being, Trump should do better. This is ridiculous.
