FL-SEN: Rick Scott to officially announce challenge to Bill Nelson tomorrow.
TALLAHASSEE — As a political outsider and later an unpopular incumbent, Rick Scott beat the odds and got elected — then re-elected — as Florida’s governor, spending $86 million of his family’s money in elections when Republicans did well nationwide.
Fast forward to 2018 and Scott on Monday in Orlando looks ready to roll the dice again.
But this time he is expected to announce his challenge to three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson at a time Republicans are struggling with the burden of a polarizing President Donald Trump.
“Scott has a record he can run on, his popularity numbers are up, for him, and he’ll have plenty of money to spend,” said Rick Wilson, a Tallahassee Republican consultant and prominent talk show critic of Trump, whose book, “Everything Trump Touches, Dies,” is due out in August.
“Scott can win, if he can manage the Trump thing. But I’m not sure anyone can do that,” he added.
The governor endorsed Trump and was publicly encouraged last September by the president to run for the Senate seat. Scott also raised money for candidate Trump through the New Republican PAC he chairs that now stands ready to fuel the campaign launching this week.
Both major parties and their allies are certain to pour millions of dollars into Florida’s U.S. Senate contest, making it already listed among a half-dozen toss-up campaigns that will help determine whether Republicans maintain control of the chamber next year.
“For 2018, this is the heavyweight bout for both parties,” said state Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach. “In Florida, it’s also going to affect every other race on the ballot, from governor down to legislative races.”
http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20180407/gov-rick-scott-poised-for-heavyweight-bout-against-us-sen-bill-nelson
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