- Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is in the hot seat for how he's handling the coronavirus pandemic .
- Critics have said he's been to slow to enforce measures to curb the spread of coronavirus , as he has refused to shut down beaches or implement a statewide stay-at-home order.
- DeSantis is an experienced politician with a legal and military background, having served as a prosecutor, congressman, and now, governor.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
CARLO ALLEGRI/Reuters
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is under fire for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
The backlash began as spring breakers were spotted crowding Florida's beaches . DeSantis refused to shut the beaches down, leaving the decision up to local governments. As of Monday morning , Florida is nearing 5,000 identified cases of coronavirus and DeSantis has yet to issue a stay-at-home order. For comparison, the governors of Ohio and Illinois respectively issued similar mandates for their home states at significantly lower confirmed case numbers.
On Monday , DeSantis said that he would sign a "Safer-at-Home" order for four counties, three of which have been hardest hit by the pandemic. But critics have said the restrictions still aren't enough. DeSantis' response is in tune with his party's pro-business, small government stance his way of trying to keep Florida's economy strong in a time when a pandemic has sparked nationwide shutdowns, already crippling the economy .
In less than a decade, DeSantis, who has a military background, has served as a House representative, attempted to run for US Senate, and become governor, according to a Miami Herald profile of the politician .
A representative for DeSantis did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Here's a look at how DeSantis, who is backed by Trump, rose to political prominence in Florida.
See Also:
- 11 business leaders who have cut their salaries to $0 to help struggling workers as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on their industries
- Self-made millionaires who retired in their 30s say a recession doesn't worry them. Here's what they're doing with their money right now.
- Billionaires from Bill Gates to George Soros are donating millions to help alleviate the coronavirus crisis but it may not go where it's needed most
SEE ALSO: Florida's spring break problem shows a political pandemic divide: Red and blue states are treating coronavirus differently
DON'T MISS: 'We're not worried about it:' Photos show the coronavirus pandemic isn't stopping spring breakers from crowding beaches and partying on booze cruises