Popular Florida Governor Rick Scott has been rumored to be running for US Senate against Sen. Bill Nelson for months, but it looks like he will finally make things official April 9th.
That’s not what Democrats wanted to hear, Florida political experts say.
According to Politico:
“The much-anticipated clash of Florida political titans will soon be official, as Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the two-term governor flush with cash and popularity, prepares to formalize his 2018 challenge to Bill Nelson, a three-term senator and the only statewide-elected Democrat.
For months, both sides have been taking less-than-subtle jabs at each other as battle lines were etched out on the midterm elections landscape in this closely watched race in the nation’s biggest battleground state. National groups from both parties have long been in narrative-setting mode, trying to frame their opponent in the worst possible light as this year‘s election cycle begins.
“I have a lot of respect for Bill Nelson; he has won statewide races, but he is in the fight of his life here,” said Brian Ballard, a prominent Florida lobbyist and Scott fundraiser. “To me, Rick Scott is the guy I don’t want to face statewide if I’m a Democrat.”
On Monday morning, Scott put to bed any lingering doubt about whether he would run when he said he would be making a “major announcement” on April 9. His staff would not elaborate on specifics, but Jackie Schutz Zeckman, Scott‘s chief of staff, resigned over the weekend and is being replaced by longtime staffer Brad Piepenbrink.”
