‘DeSantis Has Not Yet Called’: Fort Lauderdale Mayor Asked At Presser If He’s Been in Touch With Florida Governor After Flooding

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis was asked Thursday if he had spoken with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) about the unprecedented flooding that hit his city on Wednesday evening and the clean-up effort currently underway.

“Have you spoken with Governor DeSantis?” asked independent journalist Chris Nelson at the press conference.

“Governor DeSantis has not yet called,” replied Trantalis – who is a Democrat.

“I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m sure he’s very interested in what’s going on here, and we’re happy to work with his office. In the meantime, the state agencies have been working with them. The Fish and Wildlife Office has been working with us, so we appreciate that. I’m not sure the governor himself needs to be involved, but the state agencies have been very helpful in working with us to be ready to take on this challenge,” the mayor continued, striking a very conciliatory tone.

DeSantis’s deputy press secretary gave a statement to Nelson saying that “Director Guthrie has been proactively reaching out to the city and county on behalf of the DeSantis Administration.” Kevin Guthrie is the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

“We have yet to receive a request for assistance from Broward or Ft. Lauderdale, but the state is still sending resources to assist Floridians,” added DeSantis’s press office.

DeSantis traveled to Ohio to attend the Butler County Republican Party’s 2023 Butler County Lincoln Day event. DeSantis has traveled the country in recent months ahead of what many observers and pundits believe is a forthcoming run for president in 2024.

Fort Lauderdale was inundated on Wednesday night by some 25 inches of rain, in what the National Weather Service called a “1 in a 1,000-year weather event.” While nearly 2 million people in Broward County were under a flood warning as a result of the non-stop rain, no injuries or deaths were reported, according to Reuters.

Watch the full clip above.