Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) met with The Floridian Publisher Javier Manjarres at the RNC debate in Wisconsin to discuss his upcoming reelection campaign as well as his new challenger, former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL).
"I'm not afraid to take on anyone who doesn't put Florida first. That means you, Rick Scott, that's why I'm running for the U.S. Senate," said Mucarsel-Powell.
Despite being deemed a (former) centrist by Manjarres, Sen. Scott was quick to point out that the former Congresswoman “voted 100% with Nancy Pelosi.”
.@SenRickScott laughs off his new Democratic senatorial candidate @RepDMP challenge in 2024
Exclusive with Publisher @JavManjarres
“Centrist? That was only for the campaign. Not when [she] voted. She voted 100% with Nancy Pelosi."—@SenRickScott
READ MORE:… pic.twitter.com/opZZ0bNcU6
— The Floridian (@Floridianpress) August 23, 2023
“Centrist? That was only for the campaign. Not when [she] voted. She voted 100% with Nancy Pelosi. So, that story, that’s just for the campaign. And by the way, she’s only one of how many now? How many former Congressmen and women are in now?” Sen. Scott confidently continued, “It’s hard to keep track because they have a heated primary which is going to be fun to watch. People that have all failed because all they do is vote with Nancy Pelosi. And so, this is going to be fun.”
Manjarres then pursued Scott’s thoughts concerning the Democrats’ plan to stick with the far-left “democratic-socialism” ideology going into the next election. The Florida Senator believes that plan will not work in the Sunshine State.
“The problem we have in Florida is actually – we have a lot of people in our state that actually dealt with socialism, and they left it. They either left it because they left it last in Latin America, or they’ve watched these crazy blue-state policies in New York and California, and Illinois – have failed and so they want to live in a state that they have the opportunity to live their own dream. You don’t have a government telling you how to lead your life,” Scott said.
The former governor concluded, “We’re going to win because I’m going to continue to do what I’ve done.”
In May, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a travel advisory for racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community stating that Florida is “openly hostile” towards those groups. However, just days later, Scott (im)famously issued a travel advisory of his own.
Sen. Scott's rebuttal warned those on the authoritarian left thinking about coming to Florida, stating that “Florida is openly hostile towards socialists, communists, and those that enable them."
The former Florida governor released a video doubling down on his warning.
“Think twice,” was Sen. Scott’s main message.
I’m warning socialists and communists not to travel to Florida. They are not welcome in the Sunshine State.pic.twitter.com/ZB4RVz6XdK
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) June 27, 2023
“Let me give you a travel warning: If you’re a socialist, communist, somebody that believes in big government, I would think twice. Think twice if you’re thinking about taking a vacation or moving to Florida. We’re the free state of Florida. We actually don’t believe in socialism,” said the Florida senator.
He would go on to mention that many Sunshine State residents have lived under the tyrannies of authoritarian leadership, saying “It’s not good for anybody.”
“Some people in our state lived under it. We know people lived under socialism; it is not good. It’s not good for anybody. So, if you’re thinking about it, if you’re thinking about coming to Florida and you’re a socialist or a communist, think twice. We like freedom, liberty, capitalism, things like that.”
Scott was first elected Senator after he defeated longtime Senator Bill Nelson (D) in 2018.
