introduction to homeland security
Governors and the Politics of Crisis Intervention
The political fortunes of governors are frequently impacted by terrorist incidents, natural disasters, and other events that occur under the homeland security all-hazards umbrella. The severity of crises and the effectiveness of state crisis intervention efforts often serve as a political barometer for whether the public will continue to support a governor. Because governors become the “face” of state crisis intervention and recovery processes, the public’s assessment of the success or failure of these processes often forms a strong influence on perceptions of the governor’s competence.
Several cases in point illustrate the strength of this tendency.
- In 2005, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco was widely criticized for her management of the state’s intervention in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August and Hurricane Rita in September. Her popularity plummeted during the crises, and she declined to seek a second term in office.
- Also in 2005, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour became a local folk hero of sorts because of his perceived success in managing his state’s intervention following Hurricane Katrina. Unlike Governor Blanco, his political fortunes were enhanced.
- In 2012, New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s popularity among voters increased significantly during response and recovery efforts after Superstorm Sandy. When the U.S. House of Representatives adjourned prior to voting on disaster relief legislation, Governor Christie strongly criticized Congress for failing to provide needed aid for his state; he won plaudits in New Jersey for criticizing congressional members of his own political party.
- In 2013, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick won praise for projecting determined calm following the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon. The public widely supported his steady resolve to capture Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and cooperated with law enforcement authorities during the manhunt’s door-to-door searches.
- In 2016, Florida governor Rick Scott declared the shooting of scores of patrons by Omar Mateen at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando to be an act of terrorism. Mateen had in fact professed allegiance to ISIS, and the group later embraced him as their “soldier.” In 2018, on the second anniversary of the attack, Scott designated June 12 as Pulse Remembrance Dayin Florida. Nevertheless, he received political criticism from some constituencies for not adequately addressing the issue of gun safety in Florida. He was also criticized politically by some members of the LGBT community for not adequately reaching out to this community.
One lesson seems clear: Events occurring under the homeland security all-hazards umbrella can become an important influence on domestic political culture.
1. Does the possibility of political backlash have the potential to hinder gubernatorial leadership?
2. Who should ultimately receive plaudits or criticism for the success or failure of emergency response efforts?
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