Florida Democrats continue to pin the spike in COVID-19 cases on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), saying that he has "lost control" after the first-term governor reopened the state after shutting it down due to the virus outbreak.
DeSantis’ growing political nemesis and potential 2022 gubernatorial opponent is Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D), the self-styled “independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet.”
Fried has been using her bully pulpit as the highest-ranking elected Democrat in the state to push back against DeSantis since before he locked down the state due to the coronavirus.
Fried says “DeSantis has lost control of Florida’s COVID-19 response” and his policies have failed.
“His policies are simply not working, and he’s recklessly reopening Florida despite the data screaming for caution,” stated Fried “Refusing to acknowledge the alarming patterns in cases, hospitalizations, and positivity is not only arrogant, but will cost lives, public health, and our economy.”
Before DeSantis shut down the state, Fried joined a chorus of Florida Democrats urging him to think about public safety first and close the state economy.
Now Fried wants DeSantis to slow down the reopening of state because of the spike in cases, which hit a new high of 2,800 on Monday of.
Is it fair to say that the 2022 gubernatorial general election race is well underway? Yep.
Here is Fried's full statement:
“Today’s record-high new cases makes it clear: Governor DeSantis has lost control of Florida’s COVID-19 response. His policies are simply not working, and he’s recklessly reopening Florida despite the data screaming for caution. Refusing to acknowledge the alarming patterns in cases, hospitalizations, and positivity is not only arrogant, but will cost lives, public health, and our economy. To our citizens, I implore you to wear masks and continue social distancing – and just because a place is open, doesn’t mean it’s safe to go there. To our local governments, please encourage your residents to stay home, mask up, and socially distance. If the Governor is unwilling to make the right decisions, then they must be made in our cities, our states, and our homes. We are in this together, and I will continue fighting on behalf of all Floridians.”
