Florida’s republican Governor Ron DeSantis has relied on advice from his wife, a former television host, and his chief of staff, a former sales executive, more than the state’s public health and scientific experts when making decisions about dealing with the coronavirus, according to a Washington Post report.

Increasingly, DeSantis has sidelined medical staff in favor of people who would support his political goals, much like the White House has repeatedly attempted to undermine federal public health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci.

With the number of cases in Florida spiking, the state’s scientific researchers were told to cease media briefings; they haven’t had a public briefing since June. State staff were told that there weren’t enough personnel available to participate.

In interviews with 64 people, the Post learned that DeSantis has made decisions about reopening the economy and restarting schools in the Fall not based on the input of the state’s health professionals, but with advice of two key people.

DeSantis’s wife, Casey, a former television reporter and host, and his chief of staff, Shane Strum, are central of the governor’s decision making, much like Trump relies on input from people outside the public health spectrum.  Neither have any medical expertise or education, although Strum was a vice president of a hospital system at one point in his career.

DeSantis pushed hard to have a Florida city host the republican National Convention in August after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with North Carolina’s requirements that attendees where masks and social distance.  Jacksonville was selected by Trump to host celebratory gatherings because DeSantis vowed he would not make such mandates.

Prostating himself to Trump has led to many federal favors.  As Florida repubican Congressman Matt Gaetz noted, in the spring, the state emerged on top “in terms of supplies and resources,” because, in the telling of Trump, “we’re really good at asking for stuff.”

However, coronavirus cases have since spiked, with Florida typically leading the nation in new daily case tallies.  And the Jacksonville sheriff, a respected republican, stated that he could not guarantee security for the convention.

Additionally, questions have arisen about the willingness of republicans to go to Jacksonville in the height of a pandemic, during August when Florida is sweltering and regularly the target of hurricanes.

The governor’s leadership also came into question when it was revealed the state’s statician tracking coronavirus cases was fired, alleged for refusing to falsify publicly-released data.  She’s since started her own website tracking the information.

DeSantis’s political calculus has been faulty, however:  a Quinnapiac poll released Thursday shows his job approval has plummeted 31 points since April.  It’s now underwater with only 41 percent of voters approving of his job performance and 52 percent disapproving.