The 500-mile-long path of destruction cut by Hurricane Helen has disrupted politics in three battleground states – North Carolina, Georgia and Florida – that could decide control of the White House and the Senate.
Both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Harris suddenly changed their campaign plans to refocus on states hit hard by the 350-mile-long, 140-mph wind storm that killed more than 100 people.
The storm's damage drew early comparisons to Hurricane Katrina, which killed more than 1,000 people in New Orleans and around Louisiana in 2005 and became an albatross for then-President George W. Bush. .
In a race decided by thousands or even hundreds of votes, a response that could be seen as apathetic, tone-deaf, or incompetent can have devastating consequences.
“There is a heavy burden on President Biden’s shoulders because his reputation among many voters is that he is only slightly up to the job, if not slow. Anything that seems a little slow is going to have some political impact on him and the people associated with him. So I think that burden obviously falls on the shoulders of the Democratic Party,” Washington University in St. Louis Politics. Professor Stephen Smith said.
“When things don't go the way people expect, there is a tendency to just blame everyone in power,” he added. “I think the administration and the Harris campaign are hypersensitive about what happened with Katrina. They're going to do everything possible to be visible and respond aggressively.”
Biden said he would visit Western North Carolina, which was hardest hit by the storm, later this week and announced that Congress would need to pass an additional funding bill to replenish disaster relief accounts, but lawmakers said last week I couldn't get it passed before I left town.
Meanwhile, Harris will cut short her Nevada campaign trip and return to Washington on Monday, where she plans to visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters for an update on the federal government's disaster response.
The federal government's response has already become a political game, with President Trump claiming during a visit to Valdosta, Georgia, that Gov. Brian Kemp was unable to contact Biden, but Kemp told reporters earlier Monday that , said he had already spoken to Biden. .
At Kemp's request, the White House declared a state of emergency in Georgia shortly before the invasion of Georgia.
“He's been calling the president and he hasn't been able to get through,” Trump said of Kemp at a press conference.
But that claim was dismissed by Kemp, who said he spoke to Biden on Sunday night. Biden asked him, “Hey, what do you need?” Kemp said.
Looming over this political game is the memory of the Bush administration's failed response to Katrina. It was epitomized by the president's strident praise of then-FEMA Administrator Michael D. Brown during the federal government's chaotic relief efforts.
“As everyone remembers, what really hurt George Bush in 2005 can be summed up in one phrase: 'Good job, Brownie,'” said Stephen Green, a political science professor at North Carolina State University.
“We don't even know how bad or bad the government's response was, but we quickly developed the theory that the Bush administration had failed,” he said.
“They don't want to fail. They want to show that they're taking this seriously enough and avoid those 'good job, brownie' moments,” Greene said of Biden. he said of Harris.
Before President Bush suffered from the political fallout from Katrina, which lasted his second term, his father, President George H.W. The country was heavily criticized for being too slow in its response to Hurricane Andrew.
Republicans are now trying to put Biden and Harris on the defensive, questioning their minute-by-minute moves over the weekend.
“Democrats invented hurricane politics, and now Democrats may get burned by it. Millions of people are without power, tens of thousands of people have lost everything. On the ground, especially tens of thousands “When it comes to North Carolina and Georgia, which are decided by votes, that certainly has an impact on the outcome of the election,” said Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist and veteran presidential candidate. campaign.
Political experts and strategists point out that most of the government's response will be handled by the governors (two Republicans and one Democrat).
And the good news for Biden and Harris is that all three are experienced. Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, was a potential running mate for Harris. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is a Republican candidate who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. And Mr. Kemp was someone some Republicans wanted to run for president.
All three leaders are spearheading the federal response and are working closely with FEMA Administrator DeAnne Criswell, who is on the ground in North Carolina.
At a more granular level, strategists estimate that thousands of I'm worried about what will happen to voter migration. , will affect voter turnout.
Christopher Dean, a political consultant based in North Carolina, pointed out that in-person early voting begins October 17th in the state.
“It's all about turnout and how this affects turnout,” he said, noting that Asheville and Boone, home to Appalachian State University, have large Democratic voters. However, he noted that the surrounding rural areas are strongly Republican.
“Governor. Cooper has done a great job of keeping it that way,” he said. “Mr. Cooper's office is always on the local news and always has more to say, so he breaks through more information than the federal government.”
Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R), who is in a bitter battle with former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel Powell (D), attacked Monday by calling on Democrats to reconvene the Senate to pass a disaster relief bill. started.
He said Congress should act immediately once FEMA and the Small Business Administration tally how much federal disaster relief is needed in Florida and other devastated communities.
“Today, I am calling on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to reconvene the U.S. Senate as soon as these assessments are completed so that we can pass the Clean Disaster Supplemental Funding Act and other disaster relief legislation.” said.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced last week that it would launch a multimillion-dollar television ad campaign in Florida in hopes of defeating Scott in a race where abortion politics looms large. Democrats could defeat Mr. Scott in Florida and Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in Texas, given that Sen. Jon Tester (D) of Montana faces a tough path to re-election. There is growing belief that this could be the key to maintaining the Senate majority.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) responded later in the day by calling for emergency aid to farmers and ranchers across the Southeast.
“I am focused on ensuring these farmers and ranchers receive the emergency assistance they need to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” she said in a statement Monday afternoon.
