Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency for 33 counties ahead of tropical storm

Gov. DeSantis has seen these storms before.

With Tropical Depression 10 seemingly headed toward Florida as an eventual tropical storm, Florida’s Governor is issuing a state of emergency for nearly half of the state’s 67 counties Saturday, even as he’s currently out of state running for President.

“I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency out of an abundance of caution to ensure that the Florida Division of Emergency Management can begin staging resources and Floridians have plenty of time to prepare their families for a storm next week,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I encourage Floridians to have a plan in place and ensure that their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”

The order applies to Alachua, Bay, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties.

“As of 2 p.m. ET, Invest 93L is located near the Yucatan Channel, and is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm in the coming days. Floridians are encouraged to monitor weather conditions and listen to all orders from local officials, as well as review their disaster preparedness plans and stock their disaster supply kits with food, water and other necessities for their households,” reads a release from the Governor’s Office, sent just minutes after a speech in Iowa.

The storm was upgraded to a depression soon thereafter on Saturday afternoon.

The Governor’s timely issuing of an emergency declaration comes weeks after he urged homeowners to “knock on wood” in the hopes Florida didn’t suffer any major storms this year given uncertainties in the property insurance market.

“I think what’s going to happen is because we did those reforms, it now is more economical for companies to come in. I think they’re going to wait through this hurricane season and then I think they’re going to be willing to deploy more capital to Florida,” DeSantis said in July during an appearance on the Howie Carr Show.

“So, knock on wood, we won’t have a big storm this summer. Then I think you’re going to start to see companies see an advantage,” DeSantis added.

DeSantis calling for a state of emergency was blasted by a familiar political opponent, who used the “knock on wood” quote in her statement.

“While 33 counties in Florida remain under the threat of a potential hurricane, our governor is shaking hands in Iowa as he continues his failed campaign for the presidency,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.

“But that’s who Ron DeSantis is – leaving Floridians in the eye of the storm. Ron could have addressed the property insurance crisis but instead he asked Floridians to ‘knock on wood’, and hope that a major storm would not hit our state. Well, we’ve got news for you Ron: it’s hurricane season, and any Floridian will tell you that ‘hope’ is not a strategy. It’s time to come home and do your job, Ron.”