TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - The Republican-led Florida Senate has confirmed Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the governor’s pick, to be the state’s Surgeon General.
Members of the Senate voted on Wednesday in favor of Ladapo following his appointment confirmation.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis nominated Ladapo five months ago. Since then he’s been met with a torrent of criticism from Democrats for his enthusiastic support of the governor’s handling of the pandemic.
The Harvard-educated Ladapo faced heated confirmation hearings over his views on mask and vaccine mandates, as well as the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and lockdowns.
During one meeting, Democratic members abruptly left in protest.
In a statement, members of the House Democratic Caucus expressed their disappointment.
It reads in part, “The appointment of Dr. Ladapo is a step in the wrong direction as the DeSantis administration continues to politicize our public health system. His dismissal of common courtesy and scientific norms would be alarming at the best of times, but during a pandemic it’s frightening and unsafe.”
Ladapo becomes the Sunshine State’s sixth Surgeon General, overseeing the Florida Department of Health and its more than 17,000 employees.
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