NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had some strong words when he was asked about Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried's announcement she was running for governor in 2022.
DeSantis said Fried has done nothing while in office.
"I did more in my first week than she has done in her entire time as agriculture commissioner," DeSantis said.
He also highlighted their difference in opinion when it came to handling to COVID-19 pandemic. He said she would have had schools closed and businesses shuttered the entire time.
"She's a lockdown lobbyist."
Fried has been critical of the way Desantis has gone about handling the pandemic.
In February, she slammed the governor's response to the pandemic and cited him for the severity of the coronavirus spread throughout the state in a social media post.
"While he [Desantis] lashes out at everyone else like he's the victim, we all know who the real victims are; every Floridian who has lost a loved one, lost a job, lost a way of life," Fried said.
Before that, she called on DeSantis to better coordinate vaccine distribution by mobilizing the state's national guard.
In March she also said DeSantis was "playing politics" with his vaccine rollout plan.
DeSantis said everything he had done good for the state, Fried was against.
Fried announced her run for governor Tuesday. DeSantis has not yet announced any re-election campaign plans.
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