Florida’s Emergency Management Director, Kevin Guthrie, stepped down this week. The move came quickly, as he resigned to join Jay Collins’ campaign for governor, aiming for the lieutenant governor slot. Guthrie had led the Florida Division of Emergency Management since May 2021.
Guthrie put out a statement on August 19. “Serving Florida and working with the incredible men and women in emergency management has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” he wrote. He thanked his team, said he was grateful for everyone who stood by him, pushed him, trusted him, and worked alongside him to make the state’s emergency response better, not just for now but for the future.
But the clock couldn’t have been ticking louder. Guthrie left just as Florida faced the heart of hurricane season. Traditionally, the state gets hit hardest between early August and mid-October, especially in September.
For now, Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue will take over the emergency management position. Governor Ron DeSantis wasn’t exactly subtle. When reporters asked, he shrugged off the move as “politics,” saying he accepted Guthrie’s resignation.
“If people want to choose politics, more power to them,” DeSantis told reporters. “I didn’t really think Kevin was headed that way, but if that’s his path, emergency management needs someone who’s all-in, fully focused. So I’ve accepted his resignation.”
Guthrie joined Collins’ campaign literally a day before it ended. Collins didn’t come close to winning, finishing second in the Republican primary with 25.2% of the vote. Byron Donalds, who had former President Trump’s endorsement, took nearly half. Collins did well in the panhandle, but it wasn’t enough to catch Donalds.
Guthrie ended his statement by saying, “There’s more to come, but for now, thank you. I’m proud of what we did together, grateful for everyone involved, and excited to keep serving in this field I love.”
