Ron DeSantis changes with the wind as Hurricane Ian prompts flip-flop on aid

The Florida governor put politics aside' to ask Joe Biden for federal - unlike when he voted against help for Hurricane Sandy victims

As Hurricane Ian has devastated parts of Florida, the national political spotlight in America has shone brighter than ever on Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor, rising star of the hard right and probable presidential contender in 2024.

Since his election in 2018, DeSantis has made his name as a ruthless culture-warrior, a Trump ally but also perhaps his most serious rival.