A.G. Gancarski
COVID-19 is making what could be called a comeback in Florida, with positive tests piling up. But Sen. Rick Scott says reopening needs to happen regardless.
“I talk to Floridians every day. They want to get back to their jobs. They want to do this safely,” Scott said on the Fox News Channel Tuesday.
“As I go around our state,” Scott said from D.C., “people are wearing their masks. They’re social distancing. And they’re getting their businesses open again.”
“I think people know there’s a risk of coronavirus,” Scott said. “And they’re working to do everything they want to do as safely as possible, whether it’s going to work, opening up their business, going to church, they want to do it as safely as possible.”
“That’s what’s going to happen in our state. We’re going to reopen our state and reopen our economy,” the Senator added. “We cannot keep our economy closed forever.”
The Senator, who served for eight years as Governor, did not mention conversations with Gov. Ron DeSantis or any currently elected state officials about the subject.
The strained relationship between the past and present Republican Governors notwithstanding, Scott’s big-picture endorsement of the state ramping up reopening comes at a pivotal time, with Florida’s COVID-19 case count increasing.
State COVID-19 data released Tuesday morning showed a record number of new diagnoses on Monday.
A total of 2,783 new cases pushed the overall count in Florida to 80,109. To put that record in context, Saturday’s report was the first to show more than 2,000 new cases.
Nearly 3,100 have died from COVID-19, with 55 on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 3,085. And 12,489 people have been hospitalized, 474 more hospitalizations than reported Monday.
With the Republican National Convention coming to Florida, Republicans can be expected to walk the line on case data. However, as new records are set, it is inevitable that more questions will be asked, including from traditionally friendly conservative media outlets.
Further complicating Scott’s initial claim: polling data showing ambivalence about reopening. A Florida Politics Influencer Poll showed a net +7 in favor of reopening, 45% supportive compared to 38% against.
Republicans, as a rule, were more ready to reopen than Democrats.
Democrats, by a 66% to 18% margin, wanted to slow down. Republicans felt the opposite, with 65% preferring to stay the course.
3 comments
S.B. Anthony
June 16, 2020 at 2:14 pm
How much time do you spend in South Florida, Rick? The numbers are staggering. I get that South Florida is the red-haired stepchild of your party, but come on down!
Sonja Fitch
June 16, 2020 at 6:11 pm
Omg nazi Rick at it again! Deny healthcare to the sick and old. Now just let em die. May god have mercy on your rotten soul Scott!
Margaret Ann Blustine
June 16, 2020 at 7:32 pm
Well de santis actually said in a speech what we knew. He said it’s ok referring to latest record huge numbers ” BECAUSE LOT OF SICK ARE BETWEEN 25 AND 49. AND THEY DON’T DIE OR GET HOSPITALIZED AS MUCH IN THAT AGE GROUP”. Wow. IMPLYING IT’S OK BECAUSE OLDER DIE MORE. IMPLYING OLDER ARE DISPOSABLE. YES FLORIDA SENIORS HE SAID IT. KILLING US DISPOSING OF US TO KEEP ECONOMY OPEN EVEN WHILE ANY IDIOT CAN SEE WORKERS WILL BE ONGOING GETTING SICK WEEKS ON TO INFINITY NOW CLOSING BUSINESSES WORSE THAN BEFORE. Virus is causing younger group be disabled have heart problems and worse. Hospitals reporting some no more icu beds already. All because de santis and trump don’t want pay people and businesses to close safely. and strict lockdown. The money is there.neither care. It’s up to local leaders look at new daily cases do 3 day averages and see hospitalizations 494 in one day now.positivity rate percent of tests de santis barks about useless formula.local leaders protect your economy crashing fast as workers can’t work.de santis needs to be ignored as irrationally letting disasterm continue to total destruction of economy.because trump won’t sign addl democratic stimulus pkg still after a month.he wants business open.neither get it business will total in 3 weeks statewide as virus runaway spreading.AS SENIORS THAT HE CONSIDERS DISPOSABLE CAN GO DIE AS LONG AS WORKERS DON’T HE SHOULD BE OUT OF OFFICE. TRUMP WON’T SIGN 2ND STIMULUS BILL FOR WORKERS.DE SANTIS DOESNT WANT PAY UNEMPLOYMENT EVEN THOUGH BULK IS FROM OUR FEDL RESOURCES. DE SANTIS FLAT OUT SHOULD BE IGNORED BY EVERY SINGLE LOCAL LEADER IN ORDER TO SAVE THEIR CITIES AND COUNTIES. ONLY NUMBER MATTERS IS NEW RECORD HIGH DAILY CASES AND HOSPITALS GETTINGER OVERLOADED.POSITIVITY RATE OR NUMBER OF TESTS MEANINGLESSO DE SANTIS DEALLY BALONEY. LOCAL LEADERS HAVE TO PUT RESTRICTIONS AS NO PLACE WILL EVER BE LONG OPEN WITHOUT THAT FIRST.DE SANTIS DOESNT.HE MEET HIS OPEN GUIDELINES OR CDC AND IS MOVING MORE INTO ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION FAST. IGNORE HIM
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