LEXINGTON, S.C., Dec. 31 (UPI) — At a campaign event near Columbia S.C., former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised South Carolina state Sen. Katrina Shealy, calling her “Hurricane Katrina.”
“In fact, when I was governor, in 16 months we had eight hurricanes and four tropical storms. One of them was called Katrina,” Jeb said after Shealy welcomed him to the stage at Hudson’s Smokehouse.
“I don’t know why your great state senator reminds me of a hurricane. But she does. She’s strong and she’s fierce, and she’s solving problems for you at the state capitol,” he went on. “You should be honored to have her as your elected official. I hope you agree with that. That should be your nickname. In the Bush family, we always give out nicknames. Yours is now Hurricane Katrina.”
The real Hurricane Katrina, a 2005 storm that killed nearly 2,000 people, was considered a low point in George W. Bush’s presidency. Jeb’s handling of the hurricane as governor of Florida, where 14 people were killed, has earned him praise that he hearkens back to often on the campaign trail.
Criticism of the remarks surfaced on Twitter Thursday morning. Shealy herself called the nickname “sweet.”
“Everybody in my family, when they had Hurricane Katrina, it was kind of like a big joke in my family because I’m the feisty one in the family,” Shealy told CNN. “I’m the one that kinda bosses everybody around.”
CNN reported the crowd laughed and clapped in response to the remarks.
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