DeSantis Faces Threat of Recall as Petition Gathers 35,000 Signatures Amid Florida's Delta Surge

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Holds News Conference In Surfside

(Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 10: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waits to present a check to a first responder during an event to give out bonuses to them held at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside on August 10, 2021 in Surfside, Florida. DeSantis gave out some of the $1,000 checks that the Florida state budget passed for both first responders and teachers across the state.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is facing mounting pressure as a petition to have him recalled has reached its target of 35,000 signatures amid widespread criticism of his stance on the coronavirus pandemic and a surge of cases due to the Delta variant.

Cameron White, a resident of the state, is responsible for starting the petition that criticizes DeSantis for making people struggle to file for unemployment benefits. The petition stated that DeSantis, along with Governor Rick Scott, has made it impossible for Florida residents to file for unemployment benefits.

DeSantis Facing Recall

The statement read that the two officials cared more about having low unemployment numbers than if Florida residents have enough to eat. It continued to argue that DeSantis waited until the last minute to issue a stay-at-home order which caused a surge of cases sooner than necessary.

White also noted that the Florida governor went against the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by allowing churches to have large gatherings. The petition said DeSantis was not fit to be the state's leader and should be replaced as soon as the Constitution allowed, Newsweek reported.

Despite the petition being started a year ago, it has only recently gotten widespread support as thousands of Florida residents get infected with the coronavirus. The signatures have totaled 35,367 as of Sunday morning.

The incident comes amid a controversy where a school board member at the seventh-largest school district in the United States called DeSantis the "mad king of the COVID era." Jessica Vaughn said the Florida governor's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in panic and chaos among parents and school employees.

Vaughn has been on the board of Hillsborough County Public Schools, which is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, since last year. It is the third-largest district in the state, where many school officials are caught up in a struggle over mask mandates against the governor, Yahoo News reported.

Battle Between Schools and the State

Just weeks before students were poised to go back to in-person learning, DeSantis banned mask mandates in schools in Florida. He threatened to withhold funding to establishments that implemented mask requirements. The Republican's orders come in direct contrast to CDC guidelines recommending all school staff and students to wear face masks indoors whether or not they were vaccinated.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote in a pair of letters, which were sent on Friday, that Abott and DeSantis caused concerns among education chiefs. He added that federal pandemic relief funds could be used in exchange for state-imposed penalties on local school districts.

In the letters, Cardona wrote that the Department supported the stance of the educators who were working tirelessly to reopen schools safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that they wanted to maintain a safe in-person learning environment for the students.

On Friday, United States President Joe Biden expressed his support of the stance that challenged DeSantis, arguing he had "bad public health measures." The Democrat said the school leaders had the leadership and courage to do the right thing for the safety of the students, the Washington Post reported.