As DeSantis breaks sharply from the Scott era, what do you think of the Florida GOP’s new direction?

Former Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis did not exactly pass the baton on the best of terms.

There were the 70-plus last-minute appointments Scott made; all of the ones requiring state Senate approval were rescinded by DeSantis.

There was the party Scott held in the governor’s mansion as the DeSantis family was trying to move in.

And there was Scott’s decision to hold a Washington D.C. fundraiser on the same night as DeSantis’ inaugural ball.

But now that DeSantis has had a few days to find his footing, the differences between the two governors have grown to include real policy decisions, not just the personnel spats of the transition.

On medical marijuana, for example, Scott signed legislation that banned smoking the substance, relegating users to oils, edibles, vaping — any form but the most traditional means of ingestion. A lawsuit was successful in overturning this ban, but that decision was put on hold pending an appeal by the state. Now, it appears the DeSantis administration may not bother appealing.

On water issues, DeSantis demanded the resignation of the entire governing board of the South Florida Water Management District. Two have since acquiesced to the governor’s wishes, but holdouts remain. DeSantis’ request for resignation came after the board approved a deal to allow Florida Crystals to farm land that has been set aside for a massive reservoir project designed to send water south from Lake Okeechobee instead of through rivers to the west and east, sending polluted water into sensitive lagoons.

That’s a marked contrast to the Scott administration, which stacked water management boards with industry insiders. Scott came into office during the Great Recession and promised a laser-like focus on job growth. Environmental regulations were sometimes seen as impediments to business.

The new environmentalism out of a Republican governor gainsaying the policies of the previous Republican governor makes for quirky outcomes. If you’re a Republican, are you worried that the new governor’s environmentalism could stifle business and growth? As a Democrat, are you optimistic that this heralds a new direction at the state level that will mean more focus on solving the state’s multiple water crises, from red tide to blue-green algae to saltwater intrusion and more?

Let us know by emailing dsweeney@SunSentinel.com or tweeting @Daniel_Sweeney. Your response could be used in a future story.

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