DeSantis annointed ‘pandemic winner’ in Bloomberg op-ed, despite being ‘vilified in the media’

It might be fair to assume that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not tired of winning, and this is even being noticed in some of the corporate media precincts that have tried to discredit his handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Unlike lockdown-loving, power-grabbing mostly blue state governors, Republican DeSantis, a reopening champion, effectively balanced protecting the health along with the economic and educational viability of his constituents.

Bloomberg opinion columnist Joe Nocera. for example, had to admit that the DeSantis, a former congressman and Navy lawyer, has emerged as the pandemic winner (assuming, however, that anyone can be triumphant in the COVID-19 environment that caused so much suffering) in an article headlined “Florida and DeSantis defy Covid-19 and the critics.”

“And the pandemic winner is…Florida and its governor, Ron DeSantis. Can anyone doubt it? As the country tries to recover from the pandemic, psychologically as well as economically, Florida is way ahead of just about every other state in the U.S. As of March, its unemployment rate was 4.7%, compared with The Census Bureau reports that more than 250,000 people moved to Florida last year, second only to Texas. From all indications, the influx has only accelerated in 2021,” Nocera wrote, in part.

“DeSantis was vilified in the media, especially when Covid cases spiked last year. (I was among the skeptics after rooting for him earlier.) Many public health officials predicted that his policies would be disastrous. His critics took to calling him #DeathSantis. But they were wrong.”

This is same media that glorified New York Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his so-called leadership in the crisis despite the souring death rate in the state at the height of the outbreak. Cuomo now stands accused of covering up the amount the massive number of fatalities which resulted from his flawed decision to send COVID-positive patients into the state’s nursing homes.

Previously describing his state as an oasis of freedom as people relocate there in droves, the pro-active, pro-Trump DeSantis has — among other things — banned vaccine passports and is blanket pardoning any resident who was charged with violating a county or local mask mandate.

DeSantis’ narrow 2018 victory in Florida’s gubernatorial contest over Democrat Andrew Gillum, who undoubtedly would have adopted a far different approach to COVID, once again demonstrates that elections have huge consequences.

If President Donald Trump decides against seeking a second, non-consecutive term in 2024, DeSantis — who appears to be strongly favored for reelection as governor next year — is seen as heir apparent for the MAGA movement.

In a speech last week at the Allegheny County (Pa.) GOP annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Pittsburgh, DeSantis urged fellow lawmakers against caving in to the Democrat/media narrative:

“When you stand up, when you don’t back down — I can tell you, Republic voters throughout my state of Florida, they appreciate you for it. And they will walk over hot coals with bare feet to be able to support Republican candidates, if the Republicans will stand up and stand up for them. So my message to all of you is stand your ground. Hold the line. Don’t back down.

“I can tell you this: In the state of Florida, with me as governor, I have only begun to fight.”

In the same speech, he declared that when other states “kept locking people down, Florida lifted people up.”

He also quipped that “we chose freedom over Fauci-ism.”

Speaking of lock downs, at a Friday press conference at a Home Depot in Pensacola, while announcing a series of tax breaks for Florida consumers, DeSantis poked fun at Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who visited the Sunshine State earlier this year.

“It’s interesting, some of these lock down governors lock down their people and then they come to Florida themselves to be able to enjoy it,” the governor said.

The quip prompted a popular GIF seen here:

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