Ron DeSantis touts post-Idalia power restoration during tele-town hall

The Governor explained that he had a good reason to be off the campaign trail.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is back on the campaign trail, and as evidenced by a recent “tele-town hall” with supporters, the state’s response to Hurricane Idalia is part of his 2024 pitch.

In the call, DeSantis took credit specifically for power restoration, contending other states have more power outages than Florida as part of the “appropriate and overwhelming” response his administration delivered after the Big Bend storm.

“If you look at power throughout the country, there are a handful of states that have more people without power than we do,” DeSantis said. “And we are basically eight days after the hurricane left the state of Florida.”

It’s unclear as of Monday afternoon which states are part of that “handful.” According to PowerOutage.US, Florida has more than 9,300 accounts without power currently. California, with more than 7,300 out, is in second place.

Florida’s post-Idalia outages were resolved as of Sept. 8. The number of reported outages at one time peaked at 288,000 at 3 p.m. Aug. 30. Altogether, more than 568,000 power reconnections occurred since the storm first hit the state’s Gulf Coast last Wednesday.

DeSantis extolled the pace of restoration after the storm.

“This has probably been the fastest restoration, even faster than we did during Hurricane Ian,” he said. “The co-ops here locally are working with Duke (Energy), the municipals, Florida Power & Light, (Tampa Electric) and every utility provider in the state, pretty much, to get those homes up and running as soon as possible.”

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Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics contributed to this report.

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13 comments

My Take
September 11, 2023 at 6:27 pm

Absòlutely shameless.
Richard C. Russell
September 11, 2023 at 6:28 pm

Will he take credit for enabling his friends at that large mining company when it destroys our aquifers, waterways, marine life and turns SW Florida into something resembling “Love Canal” in New York.
Earl Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
September 11, 2023 at 8:55 pm

Good evening America,
Florida was so blessed to have had the highly effective and honest Govornor Desantis in charge for the recoverys from both Ian and Idalla. Just try and imagian the disfunctionality of a Dook 4 Brains Leftist Govornor dithering in the Govornors Mansion and trying to find an angle to enrich their crooked friends and fellow theiving business associates with Florida Citizen’s Hurricane Recovery Funds.
Florida would be like that Dook 4 Brains ran $hlthole Puerto Rico after every major hurricane. The Feds send in aid to PR to restore infrastructure and 3 months later the infrastructure has not been restored and the Fed. Aid money is all missing.
Florida would be just as I described PR above under:
Dook 4 Brains Gillum
Dook 4 Brains Crist
Dook 4 Brains Fried
Dook 4 Brains Graham
Man Florida is so lucky to have avoided having a crooked Dook 4 Brains Leftist Govornor in charge for the last 2 Hurricanes. God Bless Govornor Ron Desantis.
Earl Pitts “The Ronald’s UnOfficial Campaign Manager” American
- Joe The Plumber
  September 11, 2023 at 9:08 pm
  
  Thanks Earl,
  Just reading your post inspired me like reading classic patriotic poetry. I wish you had ended with your USA patriotic music and given out a few more free bumper stickers.
  ps i saw one of your bumper stickers on a golf cart down here in The Villages this werkend. You are developing quite a following of Patriots down here Earl.
  Joe
  - Earl Pitts American
    September 11, 2023 at 9:13 pm
    
    Thanks Joe
    You are a good friend.
    EPA
    - Silly Wabbit
      September 12, 2023 at 10:55 am
      
      Two kwazies!
- JD
  September 11, 2023 at 10:04 pm
  
  All this time, I thought Burbank was dead. Turns out he’s 80+ living in Central Florida. Explains alot about this character.
  
  I used to enjoy going to your restaurant in Cincinnati and listening to the blues.
  
  But I won’t ever go back. since you’ve turned into a DOOK 4 BRAINS Red Right Cultist and I need my money for home owners insurance.
  
  Enjoy hanging with Ronald the Clown McDonald, Gary Burbank.
  - Earl Pitts "The Ronald's UnOfficial Campaign Manager" American
    September 12, 2023 at 3:03 pm
    
    JD report to the woodshed for a spanking. You are forbidden from blastpheming my dear Father Gary.
    Thank you JD,
    EPA
- Earl Pitts is a Pedophile
  September 13, 2023 at 12:49 pm
  
  Hi Earl, i’m curious why you haven’t shot yourself in the head with a .45 yet. You’re a convicted pedo and everybody here knows it. Your live is meaningless and nobody will miss you.
  
  Lewd, Lascivious batt sex w/victim 12-15 years old; F.S. 800.04(4)(a)
  
  Designation:Sexual Offender
  Name:EARL W PITTS III
  Status:Released – Subject to Registration
  Dept of Corrections #:V38476
  Date of Birth:09/18/1982
  Race:White
  Sex:Male
  Hair:Brown
  Eyes:Hazel
  Height:6’00”
  Weight:252 lbs
Elmo
September 12, 2023 at 8:07 am

Once again, DeSantis proves he is a liar as Florida continues to lead the pack of states without power.
Michael K
September 12, 2023 at 8:51 am

Thankfully, my electric coop was very well prepared, and it had nothing to do with DeSantis. Unlike the governor, my utitilities understand they serve EVERYONE, without question.
FloridaPatriot
September 12, 2023 at 2:22 pm

Dude, The power restoration has NOTHING to do with you. You did NOTHING.
Josh Green
September 13, 2023 at 4:18 pm

I wonder how the linemen who actually did the work feel about a pinheaded wealthy elitist from Yale & Harvard taking credit for it