Ron DeSantis Offers Gavin Newsom Olive Branch as Hurricane Hilary Arrives

Florida Governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis offered California Governor Gavin Newsom's state an olive branch on Saturday, saying he is ready to help amid the impending arrival of Hurricane Hilary.

Hilary is forecasted to hit Southern California on Sunday night, though its strength is expected to have fallen to tropical storm level, with wind speeds of around 50 miles per hour, amidst fears of widespread flooding.

No tropical storm has made landfall in California with hurricane-force winds in recorded history. Heavy rainfall is expected to cause flash flooding and possible landslides. Some desert areas, such as Palm Springs, California, could see 12 times or more of its monthly average rainfall over the span of two days.

In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, DeSantis wrote on Saturday, "Hurricane Hilary is approaching Southern California and is projected to make landfall as a tropical storm. In Florida, we know how challenging storms can be and have significant experience responding in their wake -- we stand ready to help the people of California in any way we can."

Newsweek has reached out to DeSantis's campaign via email for comment.

Historically, Newsom, a Democrat, and DeSantis have been fierce critics of each other, most notably on DeSantis's war against "woke" policies. In June, Newsom went as far as to threaten legal action against DeSantis and his administration for allegedly leaving migrants outside a church in Sacramento.

Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated an investigation into a group of migrants that were allegedly flown to Sacramento from Texas. Both claimed to have spoken to several of the migrants, who claimed to have been taken from the Lone Star state to New Mexico, and from there to California. They also appeared to have documents issued by the state of Florida. However, DeSantis said the migrants ultimately wanted to go.

Newsom also paid for an attack ad against DeSantis during the July 4 weekend last year urging people to move from Florida to California. Newsom said their freedoms were being attacked in the Sunshine state as he highlighted contentious issues like abortion, book banning and the difficulty of voting.

Meanwhile, DeSantis has attacked Newsom about his "liberal policies." In June, DeSantis launched an attack ad against the Democratic governor compiling sound bites from local news stories involving California's dropping population, concerns about homelessness in the state and rising crime.

"The American people as a whole have voted with their feet, and you compare Florida versus California," DeSantis said in the ad. "We have witnessed a great American exodus from states governed by leftist politicians. This is a result of better governance in states like Florida. It is a result of poor governance in these left-wing states. That's why people are moving."

Newsweek has also reached out to Newsom's office via email for comment.

Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek on Saturday that "it's a bit unusual for Governor DeSantis to offer help to another state, especially one led by a political opponent like Governor Newsom."

Agranoff added: "However, I commend him for putting aside his political differences and coming together to help the people of California during this potential time of need. It is important for all leaders to work together during disasters, and I hope this is a sign that Governor DeSantis is willing to do so."

DeSantis notably received high marks for his response to Hurricane Ian, according to a poll from The Economist/YouGov last October.

Hurricane Ian slammed into southwest Florida last September, bringing high winds and strong flooding to the Fort Myers and Cape Coral area. The storm left a trail of damage, killing at least 125 people and leaving thousands more to deal with its devastation. Efforts to rebuild communities struck by Ian are already underway, with the state and federal governments collaborating to bring relief to Floridians.