Ron DeSantis watchdog group targets Governor’s hurricane handling in ‘storm’ video

With what could be Tropical Storm or even Hurricane Debby headed toward Florida this weekend, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of tropical systems in recent years is receiving new scrutiny.

“In order to inform Floridians being priced out of their homes by rising property insurance rates about the root causes of this affordability crisis, DeSantis Watch, a joint accountability project of Progress Florida and Florida Watch, has released a new digital video titled ‘Storm‘ which outlines how DeSantis’ failure to confront climate related issues is contributing to driving up costs for working families and seniors,” the group said.

DeSantis Watch notes that the Governor was out of state Thursday for a fundraising event in California, even as Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation mulled a double-digit rate hike for Citizens Property Insurance, the state’s insurer of last resort and the only option available for some homeowners.

The video calls back to one infamously insouciant statement then-presidential candidate DeSantis made on the campaign trail.

“Knock on wood, we won’t have a big storm this Summer,” the Governor said last Summer during an appearance on Boston radio, as first reported by Florida Politics.

“From Pensacola to Key West, the impacts of the climate crisis have created a perfect storm for working Floridians and seniors who are being priced out of their homes by the skyrocketing cost of property insurance under Governor Ron DeSantis,” said DeSantis Watch Communications Director Anders Croy.

“While Governor DeSantis bans the phrase climate change and bails out his corporate elite donors in the insurance industry with billions of our tax dollars, storms are growing stronger and more frequent, the cost of recovery is rising, and Florida is becoming increasingly unaffordable for Floridians. The people of our state deserve real solutions to this crisis, not more excuses from politicians like Ron DeSantis who are paid off by the same corporate polluters and insurance companies who jack up our rates and fail to deliver on their promises.”

As DeSantis returns to Florida, he’s already put much of the state under a state of emergency ahead of anticipated soaking rains and an uncertain storm path.

That order covers Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.