Spencer Roach—a Florida state Republican Representative who represents Lee County and sparred with the Walt Disney Corporation over anti-LGBTQ+ legislation—saw his home severely damaged by Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in western Florida as a Category 4 storm earlier this week.
According to Florida Politics, Roach’s North Fort Myers home was flooded by the hurricane. He evacuated to safety shortly before the storm arrived.
The entire home interior—which he'd purchased in 2018 and on which he'd spent $100,000 in renovations—was destroyed by a storm surge.
The Florida Republican posted about it on Twitter.
\u201cI was able to access the house. Exterior structure is in good shape but inside is trashed from the water. Thank you all for the unbelievable outpouring of well wishes & prayers of support. I am truly humbled by the calls & messages I received. Tomorrow will be a better day.\u201d— SpencerRoach (@SpencerRoach) 1664503920
Roach is best known as one of the biggest supporters of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law.
Florida’s Republican-sponsored Parental Rights in Education bill, or H.B. 1557, was signed into law by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. The law, colloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, aims to “reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children in a specified manner.”
The law wants to prohibit “a school district from encouraging classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a specified manner” and authorizes parents to “bring an action against a school district to obtain a declaratory judgment that a school district procedure or practice violates certain provisions of law.”
But Roach went further, leading efforts to strip the "woke" Walt Disney Corporation of its special tax privileges within the state after its leadership spoke out against the law.
\u201cYesterday was the 2nd meeting in a week w/fellow legislators to discuss a repeal of the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which allows Disney to act as its own government. If Disney wants to embrace woke ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County.\u201d— SpencerRoach (@SpencerRoach) 1648637210
The news that Roach had lost his home in Hurricane Ian humored critics who said it was an example of karma in action.
\u201cEver heard of Karma?\n\nFL State Rep, Spencer Roach (totally apt name, right?), who championed "Don't say Gay" and Disney punishment, is now homeless after hurricane Ida wiped his home off the face of the Earth.\nhttps://t.co/1wkhVaMKdw\u201d— MattAWillett (@MattAWillett) 1664483576
\u201cPromoted the \u2018Don\u2019t Say Gay\u2019 FL bill. So, the gays had a hurricane take out his home. https://t.co/e69W2C6Hn2\u201d— Project Spacetime (@Project Spacetime) 1664569546
\u201cKarma bus makes another stop in FL . @Rep.SpencerRoach \u2066@GOP\u2069 https://t.co/bXIIfUozPq\u201d— Sabine Marteny (@Sabine Marteny) 1664498976
\u201cIt's not nice to slander Mother Nature or Rainbows\n\ud83d\udc4d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude0e\n\nSpencer Roach is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard & was a co-sponsor of Florida's infamous "Don't Say Gay" legislation. Roach is also a supporter of Trump. \n\nhttps://t.co/xCZgDKF0iI\u201d— Justice Watchman (@Justice Watchman) 1664682964
\u201cFlorida State Rep Spencer Roach (R-79th District) residence was destroyed by Ian.\nDon\u2019t say gay..karma\u201d— Spring because after WINTER comes \ud83e\udd81hear me ROAR (@Spring because after WINTER comes \ud83e\udd81hear me ROAR) 1664531535
\u201cYour "#Gawd" doesn't like hate filled di*ks #SpencerRoach!\n\n"Hurricane Ian washes away home of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law co-sponsor: report."\n\nhttps://t.co/UJtW8mNIrt\u201d— \ud83d\udc94\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd84 NoraC SLAVA UKRAINI \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83e\udd84\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc94 (@\ud83d\udc94\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd84 NoraC SLAVA UKRAINI \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83e\udd84\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc94) 1664719995
\u201cWhy does it take a disaster happening to them for Republicans to show empathy anymore?\n#SpencerRoach\u201d— Christopher Adams (@Christopher Adams) 1664518730
Roach is the second Republican politician and supporter of the "Don't Say Gay" law to lose his home in a weather-related disaster.
In May, Joe Harding—the architect behind the "Don't Say Gay" law—lost his home in Ocala, Florida after a tornado touched down. Harding was not home at the time and his family members were unharmed.
The National Weather Service said the storm had estimated wind speeds of 110 mph. The tornado wreaked havoc on the ground for about 35 minutes, causing at least $12.3 million in property damage in Marion County, according to county property appraiser Jimmy Cowan.
