Hours after a judge delt a legal blow to plans to Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order banning mask mandates in schools, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urged the Republican Governor to drop his appeal and stop "strong-arming" Floridians.

Speaking Wednesday at an online press conference, Fried criticized DeSantis' handling of the pandemic and his slew of "bad policies."

"It is wrong from a moral and legal standpoint for the Governor and Commissioner of Education to continue punishing our local school officials who are doing the right thing to keep their students and staff safe," Fried told reporters.

A Leon County judge lifted a stay earlier Wednesday on a previous ruling overturning DeSantis' mask order, allowing school districts to implement mask mandates unless an appeals court later overturns the ruling, which DeSantis hopes it will.

Fried, a Democratic candidate for Governor, argued DeSantis' order violates the Constitution and "flies in the face" of the judicial system.

She further alleged it threatens the health of Florida's youth. More than 23,500 kids 12 and younger tested positive for COVID-19 between Aug. 27 and Sept 2, according to the Florida Department of Health's most recent weekly update.

Fried also called on the Governor to reverse course on other upcoming plans.

Florida will soon levy a fine on businesses, schools and government agencies that require visitors to show proof of vaccination. The $5,000 fines will begin Sept. 16.

The move, Fried asserted, will do more harm than good.

"These are bad policies from a public health and economic standpoint," Fried said. "We have a way out of this (pandemic). We have the tools to beat this virus. And it's not by strong-arming school officials and business."

For his part, DeSantis maintains the fines will protect individual freedoms while also preventing a society with two classes of citizens — the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The Governor's legal team, meanwhile, asked the 1st District Court of Appeal last week to overturn the ruling that invalidated his executive order against school mask mandates.

Under the order, students are free to wear a mask if they choose, but they can't be required to do so.