Ron DeSantis Under Pressure Over Florida Gas Shortage: 'Where is He?'

Ron DeSantis is being put under further pressure to resolve Florida's gas shortage issue as Twitter users rage at the governor.

Southern Florida has been affected by gas shortages after last week's extreme weather, most notably high levels of flooding, disrupted the regular distribution and delivery of fuel.

Heavy rain in eastern Broward County last week caused floods in Port Everglades roads, preventing truck drivers from making fuel deliveries.

Social media users have complained and shared clips of gas stations without any fuel and the long lines they would have to queue in to get any gas.

Some have taken to blaming Governor DeSantis and remarked that he should be in the state taking command and publicly voicing how the issues will be resolved.

Earlier this week, DeSantis took a trip to Washington, D.C., in an alleged bid to gain support within his party to challenge former President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination, according to a CNN report.

Angela Van Der Pluym, an investigative journalist according to her Instagram bio, responded to a tweet praising DeSantis for signing a new bill.

Der Pluym tweeted: "Anyone can sign a bill written by someone else for a 5 min photo op, Jenna. Where is he when his state needs him most?

"He was absent during the flood, and now they haven't had gas in 4 days. Oh yeah, out of state secretly campaigning."

Political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen added: "Floridians can't find gas for their cars but don't worry - Ron DeSantis and the GOP-led legislature are hard at work making sure no one can acknowledge the existence of LGBT people in classrooms."

Twitter user DerekAppleby shared a video of a long queue in Florida and also questioned where the governor was.

He tweeted: "Where's DeSantis? There's only a couple places with gas. Drove around for an hour to then wait 30 minutes like its 1970's."

Democrat politicians have also questioned why DeSantis isn't in the state. Former Florida Senator Annette Taddeo shared her own video of being in a long line waiting for gas.

She captioned the video: "While Ron DeSantis is waging a war with Mickey, South Florida is dealing with a gas shortage due to the massive downpour last week that caused flooding. Priorities."

Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper also tweeted: "Massive flooding in the Fort Lauderdale region."

"Massive gas lines in Miami and South Florida. Has anyone seen Ron DeSantis? #WhereisDeSantis."

Some social media users have defended DeSantis, however, and argued that resolving the issue wouldn't simply fall into the lap of the governor.

WLRN reporter Danny Rivero said: "A lot of people are asking Gov. DeSantis to do more on gas shortage in South Florida due to Fort Lauderdale flooding and ensuing panic.

"Fuel supply is actually regulated and run by @WiltonSimpson and the independent Department of Agriculture (@FDACS).

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, directed Newsweek to his tweet about the latest update of gas shortage in south Florida.

His tweet read: "Update on % of stations without gasoline in SE FL, 830am ET...58.0% of stations in Miami/Fort Lauderdale without gasoline
35.5% of stations in West Palm Peach/Ft. Pierce
3.8% of stations in Ft Myers/Naples."

He also told Newsweek: "There has been no information that I can obtain on why all pumps have not been fixed at Port Everglades just yet (some have), but much of the problem is not that, but how people responded in a panic."

Newsweek has contacted Ron DeSantis via email for comment.