Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis Goes Maskless At Super Bowl LV

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) went maskless on Sunday while watching the Super Bowl LV in Tampa.

A photo of the maskless governor at the Raymond James Stadium has since surfaced on the web. He did not appear to be practicing social distancing in the photo, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urging people to watch the game at home with family members only just days before the event. The CDC also advised those who chose to attend the game anyway to “stomp, clap or bring hand-held noisemakers” in lieu of cheering or chanting.

On Monday, Tampa’s mayor voiced her frustration at seeing Super Bowl attendees flouting mask-wearing and social distancing protocols.

In response to the photo, DeSantis commented, “Someone said, ‘Hey, you were at the Super Bowl without a mask.’ But how the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on? Come on. I had to watch the Bucs win.”

In November, DeSantis voiced his disagreement with mandatory mask measures. “I’m opposed to mandates period,” he said. “I don’t think they work. People in Florida wear [masks] when they go out. They don’t have to be strung up by a bayonet to do it.”