South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster now wants the same kind exemption Florida received from the White House on offshore oil drilling. Both Republican governors claim their states' Atlantic shorelines rely too heavily on tourism.
“They are a source of enormous economic growth and prosperity and we cannot take a chance with those resources, those industries and that economy,” McMaster told reporters this week.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott campaigned on supporting offshore drilling, but has successfully lobbied for an exemption to the Trump adminstration's plan.
“Florida will be taken off the table so we can continue to make sure this is the state people want to continue to travel to and want to live in because we have the prestine environment in the world,” said Scott.
Democrats argue the White House is playing favorites by only granting exemptions to red states. Republicans argue McMaster is only trying to bolster his re-election bid. Scott's name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate.
“Rick Scott is going to be legitimately be brought up for saying he is pro-drilling and then when the drilling occurs, he says no President Trump, leave it off my backyard,” says political analyst Chris Begala.
Begala says each governor is essentially trying to play both sides.
“This is just another example of the tightrope some of these politicans walk, and this is a legitimate one where governors are trying to protect tourism, their base and also the fringe of their base.”