Gov. Ron DeSantis might want to work on his “interpersonal” skills.
He has a lot of skills, but that is one that is causing him problems.
By calling a special session of the legislature earlier this year, he displeased his fellow Republicans in the leadership of the two houses, who did not want one. It seemed to be settled, but a wrinkle has evolved.
It entails discrediting the governor’s wife, Casey, who has been talked about as a potential successor to DeSantis in the governor’s mansion.
Naturally, Democrats are all over it. The editorial page blowhards are sanctimoniously deploring the burgeoning “scandal” around Hope Florida, an initiative started by Casey DeSantis in 2019.
It was designed to help single parents and families by connecting them with agencies that could provide badly needed services. Its website says, “Hope Florida serves single parents, individuals on government assistance, youth aging out of foster care, individuals with unique abilities and their families, Florida seniors, juvenile justice youth and our brave Florida veterans among many others.”
This is something Democrats ordinarily would claim to be in favor of, if it were a Democrat initiative.
On the other hand, it is a big mess because the person who was chairman of the board of Hope Florida made an incredible series of blunders that have left Hope Florida in precarious position. Money given to the Hope Florida Foundation was rerouted to groups opposing the legalization of marijuana.
Why Republicans seem to go out of their way to help Democrats is beyond comprehension.
A House committee is holding hearings on the matter and the House speaker, a Republican lawyer from Miami, has had some harsh words for the governor.
While DeSantis has done a good job as governor, he needlessly has bullied legislators who were his natural allies and probably has ruined whatever chances his wife had of succeeding him and hasn’t helped his own quest to be president.
But politics has a way of leveling out things. Another result could be the election next year of Florida’s first governor with dark skin, who also is a Republican.
