‘The President Did a Great Job’: GOP Senator Rick Scott Heaps Praise on Biden While His Florida Frenemy DeSantis Draws Heat for Biden Snub

The snub of President Joe Biden by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) during the commander in chief’s visit to Florida — to survey the damage from Hurricane Idalia — has drawn considerable criticism. (Although, notably, not from Biden himself.) And in the governor’s absence, his top in-state Republican rival went out of his way to deliver some rare praise for the president.

During a press event in Live Oak, FL on Saturday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) — who seldom has a kind word for Joe Biden — lauded the president for a quick, efficient response to the hurricane.

“The President did a great a job with the early declaration before the storm hit the coast,” Scott said. “That was a big deal. It helped all these first responders. And then how fast you approved through FEMA the individual assistance, the public assistance … it was a big people deal. These are not rich communities. Many of them struggle. And so what the federal government’s doing, by FEMA being a great partner, I want to thank you for doing that very quickly.”

Scott and DeSantis have had a testy relationship dating back to a rocky transition period when Scott vacated the governor’s office and handed off to DeSantis. Earlier this year, Scott notably urged DeSantis to abandon his feud with Disney — one of the governor’s most high-profile political battles. And a New York Times story from late June even said that Scott was considering jumping in the presidential race himself against DeSantis.

Watch above, via CNN.

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