Ron DeSantis reveals he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatment after accusations he had gone missing
Democrats have criticised the Florida governor for his absence amid Covid-19 spike
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Florida Gov Ron DeSantis’s team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state.
The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December.
Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase.
In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should “should ask the question, ‘Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now?’ When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19?” The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses’ ability to impose vaccine mandates.
Mr DeSantis’s wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that “Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady.”
But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a “Let Us Worship Miami” event for New Year’s Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl.
Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments