JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida Sen. Rick Scott has been underestimated throughout his political career, but he’s out to prove his critics wrong again.
When he first won his gubernatorial race 14 years ago, he defeated mainstream Republicans in the primary despite Tallahassee insiders campaigning to the contrary.
He had close re-election races in 2014 and 2018, losing after recounts to popular Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
During his first term as a senator, he was in many ways an outsider.
He led the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2022 election cycle, but hopes of a Republican majority in the midterm elections touted as a “red wave” did not materialize.
With even Republicans trying to shake off the fallout from the Jan. 6 protests at the U.S. Capitol, Scott linked his fundraising efforts to the Trump brand and suggested as many as 55 House seats could fall to Republicans.
Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen.
Questionable campaign finance strategies The NRSC has become a talking point in itself, as it has spent 95% of the more than $180 million it raised by July 2022, with at least $26 million spent on questionable text message allegations and sparking refund demands of at least $8 million before Labor Day.
Notably, President Trump’s digital director, Gary Covey, was the architect of the effort.
The low point of Scott’s time at the helm of the campaign came when attention shifted to the Georgia runoff elections and the desperate Trump-backed campaign of Herschel Walker.
However, the former American football star was unable to cross the finish line.
With Scott standing behind him, Walker entertained the supporters, initially Strange story Suddenly, a story of a bull who, after impregnating several cows, escapes from a green pasture only to discover that there are only other bulls on the other side of the fence.
“So what I’m saying is, don’t think that some other country is better. This is the best country in the world now,” he said, before finally getting to the point.
It didn’t work, but Scott maintained a brave attitude after the debacle.
“Although Herschel fell short, I am confident he will remain a leader of our party for many years to come,” he said after the defeat.
Scott was also forced to endorse another hopeless Trump-backed candidate, pompous Dr. Mehmet Oz, an elitist in MAGA clothing who won’t sell in the Keystone State.
how was it?
Just ask his opponent, now Senator John Fetterman.
During his post-mortem interview with Sean Hannity, Scott called the 2022 election cycle a “total disappointment.”
He later diffused responsibility, writing in a letter to colleagues that “no matter what the pundits on TV say, no one person is responsible for our party’s performance across the country.”
He followed that crushing defeat with another major defeat in the leadership contest against Mitch McConnell, receiving just 10 votes.
But that was a long time ago, and things are different now.
Scott’s close relationship with Trump has paid off amid the former president’s surprising return to politics. That may seem natural now, but it certainly wasn’t in the dark days of 2023, when Republicans were questioning Trump’s viability.
No, Trump has not endorsed Scott as leader of the Republican Senate caucus.
But he has signaled strong support for Scott, including a concerted decision to include him on the speaking program, including at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
This was especially notable because both Senators John Cornyn and John Thune were conspicuously absent, and according to a Trump World source, “the president asked the senators to speak.”
Meanwhile, Scott said Tuesday he was “hopeful” about another consideration: Trump’s public endorsement.
“I’ve had a good working relationship with Mr. Trump,” Scott told CNN’s Caitlin Collins.
“I knew him before he ran, so I’m hopeful he’ll run. The bottom line is, we need to change the Senate. It’s not working the way it is.”
He continued his message in brief remarks Tuesday night.
“The Democrats couldn’t stop him. The media couldn’t stop him. Liberal judges couldn’t stop him. Bullets couldn’t stop him. What’s going to stop Donald Trump from becoming our next president and making America great again?” Scott asked the crowd, who answered in unison “No.”
When senators vote for post-McConnell leadership in January, will Trump’s support be enough to win?
That’s still an open question.
But when it comes to the political future, Rick Scott holds the trump card, and his stock is currently rising.
