Gov. Ron DeSantis makes Biketoberfest appearance, then surveys Ian damage at Flagler Beach

One day after tossing ballcaps to adoring Biketoberfest revelers at Destination Daytona, Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Flagler County for a more sober occasion: Surveying damage from Ian.

The hurricane had deteriorated to a tropical storm by the time it lashed Flagler County on Sept. 29, but still caused more than $10.6 million in residential damage, according to the county's emergency management director, Jonathan Lord.

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The first-term Republican governor, who's seeking reelection against Democrat Charlie Crist in the Nov. 8 election, was joined at Flagler Beach by FEMA Region 4 Administrator Gracia Szczech and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. State Rep. Paul Renner, the House Speaker-elect, was also there along with Flagler Beach city and Flagler County officials.

“Six homes with major damage, 80 with minor damage, and another 185 that were affected,” Lord told the group. “More than 2,500 FEMA Individual Assistance claims have been made.”

Small businesses at Flagler Beach suffered losses from power outages and closures, while the beach and dunes were damaged, as well. 

On Saturday at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, DeSantis gave a campaign speech and endorsed Volusia County School Board candidate Jessie Thompson, who's running in District 3 against Justin Kennedy.

He signaled infrastructure as a future budget priority.

"I'll tell you: We've got so many people that want to visit Florida, so many people who want to move to Florida, we've got to step it up even more," DeSantis said. "So we'll be announcing major infrastructure investments above and beyond what we're already doing, and that means places like I-4, Central Florida." 

DeSantis also commented on a Broward County jury's sentence of Nikolas Cruz, convicted of killing 17 people, mostly students, at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in 2018.

"You have one juror that refuses to authorize the death penalty for this killer," DeSantis said to boos. "And you know what? It used to be in this country if you commit these types of heinous acts they would try you, convict you and execute you within six months.

"So we're going to do some stuff to make sure we're standing up for victims and we're not standing up for criminals," DeSantis said.

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