Campaign

Scott teases ‘big announcement’ ahead of likely Fla. Senate bid

by Ben Kamisar - 03/26/18 10:35 AM ET

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) on Monday teased a “big announcement” coming next month, ahead of his expected bid for Senate against Sen. Bill Nelson (D).

In a brief tweet Monday, Scott told supporters to join him on April 9 in a livestreamed Facebook event for the “big announcement.”

Join me the morning of April 9th on Facebook Live, as I make a big announcement. pic.twitter.com/KBBtUCueyp

— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) March 26, 2018

Scott has long been seen as the GOP’s top candidate for the Florida Senate seat — he’s won two statewide elections, has enormous personal wealth that would be useful in a campaign bid and has the backing of President Trump, who has publicly prodded Scott to run.

Republicans are bullish on Scott, hopeful that he can do well in a state that Trump won in 2016.

Scott also lead the state during both Hurricane Irma and the recent mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., circumstances that have opened him up to both praise and criticism.

Scott has been expected to wait until after the state’s legislative session, which ended in March, to announce his decision. Other Republican candidates have stayed out of the primary so far as they waited for Scott’s decision.

But Democrats appear to be ready for Scott, who won only narrow victories during the GOP wave years of 2010 and 2014.

The Senate Democratic campaign arm has embarked on a months-long effort to cut Scott down, accusing him of flip-flopping on off-shore drilling and guns and highlighting the revelation that nursing home residents died during the hurricane after personal calls to the governor for help were ignored.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also released two digital ads earlier this month in Florida highlighting the nursing home tragedy and accusing Scott of obfuscating the full extent of his finances.

Florida’s Senate race is expected to be one of the highest-profile Senate elections of 2018. Nelson led Scott by 4 percentage points in a recent Gravis Marketing poll released last week.

Tags Bill Nelson Donald Trump Florida Florida Senate race