Ron DeSantis Pauses Campaign Trail, Returns To Florida Amid Tropical Storm And Shooting Aftermath

Amid an escalating tropical storm and a horrifying racial attack, Governor Ron DeSantis has put his campaign on hold to return to Florida and manage the crises, CNN reports.

The governor left the campaign trail to prepare Florida’s gulf coast for Tropical Storm Idalia, which could potentially reach hurricane status by Wednesday. 

Prior to addressing the pending storm, DeSantis addressed the attack on a Jacksonville Dollar General store, where a white gunman killed three Black people. The governor condemned the violence, stating it was “unacceptable” and had “no place in the state of Florida.”

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DeSantis, who has been on the road for the past three months seeking the GOP nomination, has not provided updates on his future political travel but assured reporters that he is “locked in on this” storm.

The governor has been providing updates on the trajectory of Tropical Storm Idalia, warning residents of the Gulf of Mexico to heed local warnings and watch the news. The storm has maximum sustained wind speeds of 40 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center and could become a hurricane by Tuesday afternoon.

The governor has faced criticism from Democrats, accusing him of not speaking out forcefully enough against neo-Nazi demonstrations in Florida. The governor has also faced backlash at home for his handling of events prior to these current crises.

DeSantis has returned to Florida to manage the crises, while also intensifying his criticism of President Joe Biden's response to the Maui wildfires.

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