Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) avoided a falling flag during a press conference on Wednesday, providing a similar reaction made by a former United States president shortly after the incident.
DeSantis announced over $112 million in grants to various projects aimed at improving Florida’s water supply in Tampa. During his speech, one of the Florida flags behind him fell onto his podium, prompting the governor to maneuver stage right and help place the flag back.
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“Missed me,” DeSantis said upon returning to the podium, drawing laughter and some applause from the audience.
DeSantis’s comment mirrors the remark former President Ronald Reagan made in 1987, who joked, “Missed me” after a balloon popped during his speech. Reagan had survived an assassination attempt six years earlier, a little more than two months into his first term in office.
According to a press release sent on Wednesday, Florida’s $112 million funding will comprise of $50 million supporting 14 alternative water supply projects, $50 million for 23 projects restoring the state’s natural freshwater springs, and $12 million for 16 projects to help prevent blooms of algae population. DeSantis said that the Sunshine State will “act as responsible stewards of our resources.”
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On Monday, DeSantis announced that the Sunshine State will seek to redistrict ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The announcement makes Florida the latest to pursue this effort; other states include Texas, California, and Indiana.
The Washington Examiner contacted DeSantis’s office for comment.
