Is Ron DeSantiss Fox News Obsession Backfiring in Florida?

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The governor in charge of the new coronavirus center seems more focused on gaining conservative media approval than ensuring the health of his constituents. In the first half of 2021, Floridas Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024, has scheduled several shows with top Fox hosts[Sean] Hannity (8 times), Tucker Carlson (6) and Laura Ingraham (7) as she met with her lieutenant governor Jeanette Nuez (7), the Tampa Bay Times reports. Still more to say, DeSantis is even reported to meet one-on-one with his top public health officials in Floridas this year, according to his schedules.

In a detailed expos about the symbiotic relationship between DeSantis and Fox News, Times politician Steve Contorno reviewed emails between DeSantiss’s office and the network that spanned more than 1,000 pages. Contorno found that the governor was a key role in the network; he was asked to appear 113 times, or almost once a day, in the period between November 2020 and February 2021, after the loss of Donald Trumps. This increased exposure boosted DeSantiss’s name recognition and made him a familiar face to important Fox viewers, potentially expanding his presidential ambitions. He was given the first Fox audition for 2024, Adam Goodman, a veteran Republican media strategist, told the Times.

Fox News pushed the conclusion in the papers that the network had made merchandise with DeSantis, who appeared to be very eager to play ball when the DeSantis team was promoted. In a statement, Fox said it works to secure daily interviews with headliners across the political spectrum which is a key journalism practice in all news organizations. But the governor is no stranger to using cable news to deliver his own goals; his rise to politics in Florida was certainly helped by Fox hits, which he used to help win the GOP main gubernatorial in 2018.

This latest iteration of the apparent scratch occurs when DeSantis falls under increased scrutiny in his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he continues to expand the power of his office while using this to dull local officials, Washington Posting reports, and local leaders attempting to respond to lift and hospitalization cases must answer to a governor who prides himself on denial of mask and vaccination mandates. That approach devastated Florida mayors, many of whom spoke out against DeSantiss’s tactics. I can’t mandate masks. I cannot command social isolation. I can’t give vaccinations on command, St. Louis said. Rickburg in Florida, mayor Rick Kriseman. All I can do is encourage people to do the right thing, and that’s about it.

Certainly, DeSantis’s optics prioritize meetings with Fox personalities over top health officials who are vigorous especially as Florida struggles with an influx of COVID infections. But the question of whether doing so would affect his political fortunes is even worse. Polling earlier this month suggested that DeSantiss’s hands-off approach is hurting him to Florida voters; Hill reported that he fell behind Rep. Charlie Christ, a rival of the Democratic governor, in a statewide survey conducted amid a surge of viruses (though the outlet said the poll was within the margin of error). Brad Coker, managing director and chief executive of Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, told the Post that the impact is likely to last up to several months. If he’s working through it and the virus isn’t ahead of him, he can say, Look, I’m consistent, and voters will give him for that, Coker said. On the other hand, 15 months from now, if the virus is still running, and there are three other variations, and the vaccines don’t work, people will fail.

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