Right-wing commentators have lionized DeSantis for his allegedly outstanding pandemic record. Well, in the immortal words of Rasheed Wallace, “Ball don’t lie.” What does the ball tell us about Florida over the last year or so?
I have examined three key statistics: deaths per 1,000 population; the unemployment rate; and the vaccination rate. Florida is squarely in the middle of the range for each of these items. On its face, the state’s performance has been mediocre, from both an economic and a public health perspective.
The reality, however, is that Florida, as a tourist destination with a more relaxed regime than most, probably exported thousands of cases to other states. In addition, Florida’s recent performance on hospitalizations and deaths has been very poor relative to other areas of the country. In all likelihood, this is due to DeSantis’ greater interest in protecting the rights of the unvaccinated (most of them, members of his base) than in maximizing vaccinations.
The verdict, therefore, is that the DeSantis record is nothing to boast about. It is a potential liability in 2024. As to other possible points of vulnerability, see my next DeSantistan post.