Ron DeSantis addresses a crowd while President Donald Trump watches at a rally in Tampa, Florida, on July 31, 2018 – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by jctabb
Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, supported former President Donald Trump over Governor Ron DeSantis, the governor of his own state, as polls continue to show Trump leading the GOP presidential race.
In an opinion piece for Newsweek that was released on Thursday morning, Scott stated that he urges “every Republican to unite behind” Trump.
A different statement from Scott described Trump as the “strongest candidate.” The Messenger was the first to report on Scott’s endorsement.
Despite the fact that the presidential primary won’t take place until January 15, 2024, Trump has continued to dominate in recent polls conducted in the early states. According to a Monday Des Moines-Register/NBC poll, 43 percent of prospective Iowa GOP caucus attendees chose Trump as their top pick, while DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley deadlocked at 16 percent.
In October, a different poll, commissioned by a DeSantis-affiliated group, put Trump at 46 percent in Iowa, DeSantis at 20 percent, and Haley at 12 percent.
The transfer of power to DeSantis at the conclusion of Scott’s own term as governor in 2019 has contributed to the tense relationship between the two men. The Tampa Bay Times reports that during his final days in the governor’s house, Scott missed DeSantis’ inauguration speech and made more than 80 state appointments.
Scott had suggested in February that leftover federal cash from COVID-19 help should be returned to reduce the nation’s debt. However, DeSantis disagreed.
Scott was also present when President Biden traveled to Florida following Hurricane Idalia in September, but DeSantis did not show up for a meeting with his prospective rival in the general election.
The DeSantis team disregarded Scott’s support for Trump, citing the governor’s backing from legislators and Republican officials in Florida and early primary states.
In South Carolina (16), New Hampshire (62), and Iowa (41), state lawmakers have endorsed Ron DeSantis more than they have the previous president (16). In reaction to Scott’s endorsement, DeSantis campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo stated, “He also has the support of almost all Florida elected officials because he worked with them to deliver historic results for the conservative movement.” The governor has the support of more than 90 Republican state lawmakers in Florida.
“The governor will win his home state because Floridians want to see a fighter who will bring the same type of results-oriented leadership to Washington that he has provided in the Sunshine State,” Romeo stated.
The Trump campaign has been contacted by CBS News regarding Scott’s endorsement.
An experienced presidential campaign strategist from Florida questioned the effect of Scott’s endorsement in places like Iowa and New Hampshire. “How many Iowa and NH voters are devotees of Rick Scott?” they responded.
Rick Scott’s transition to an approval
Scott stated in April that he would not support any candidate in the presidential primary, citing his intention to concentrate on his own 2024 reelection campaign. However, during his remarks at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering in Las Vegas over the weekend, he hinted at a possible reversal of that position.
Speaking to donors in Las Vegas, Rick Scott said, “Just think what we had with the last president — the most pro-Israel president in this country’s history.” “Some people have different opinions about Donald Trump, but he did more for Israel than any president in the country.”
Scott highlighted an airstrike that President Trump authorized in January 2020, which resulted in the death of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard commander, Qassem Soleimani. He also mentioned the Trump administration’s choice to relocate the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that angered a large portion of the Arab community but was well-received by many Israelis.
“With strong leadership in the White House, I believe we can restore America to its rightful place as the unchallenged moral leader of the free world, as well as its position of economic and military might. Scott stated in his opinion piece on Thursday, “For this reason, I back my friend President Donald J. Trump to become the 47th president of the United States.”
During the 2022 midterm elections, Scott presided over the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He chose to remain neutral in the GOP Senate primary contests, a move that brought him a great deal of criticism as Democrats upset multiple Trump-backed senators and kept control of the upper house.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
