JACKSONVILLE, Fla — When people look for help with their troubled unemployment claims, they don’t discriminate if the elected official is red or blue, just as long as they can put money back into their pockets.
Political expert Mike Binder said for this reason, the unemployment crisis could influence future elections.
“That direct influence in your life is something that is going to endear you much more than that just partisanship,” Binder said.
COVID-19 presented an opportunity for politicians to step up for the masses suffering in their area, or turn a blind eye to it.
Binder points to historical figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as people who made their marks by finding solutions in a time of crisis.
“And this is an opportunity for state-wide politicians to do the same thing,” Binder said.
Binder said the pandemic is likely to bring new voters to the polls, and many who were impacted positively or negatively by politicians.
“So this could bring them into the fold, now that they’re potentially motivated. They look around and they say, ‘Hey, I didn’t think about government before, it wasn’t really an issue for me, but wow this unemployment system is a disaster,'" he said.
That’s why Binder says upcoming elections may be interesting. People may win based on their response to the pandemic and the unemployment crisis.
Anna Eskamani is an example of making her mark in a time of crisis. Eskamani stepped up in helping 18,000 unemployment claims statewide and now has a massive statewide army cheering her on.
“Leadership rises in moments of uncertainty,” Eskamani said. “Our workload is so large because folks tried contacting their state lawmaker and didn’t get through.”
Eskamani never imagined running for governor, but because of her response to the unemployment crisis, thousands are begging her to.
Facebook groups and posters have been made reading “Anna Eskamani for Governor 2022.”
When Eskamani was asked if she would think about running for governor, a big smile emerged. “Absolutely!” she said. “It would be a disservice to the people of Florida if I ignored the call to governor.”
“I am taking the request seriously,” Eskamani said. “I do need to focus on 2020, get through this November and be reelected, but after that, I’m going to consider what 2022 could look like and what the people of Florida deserve.”