TALLAHASSEE, Fla. � Gov. Rick Scott confirmed Monday morning he's running for U.S. Senate, making the announcement in Orlando before heading out on a campaign kick-off tour of the state. He'll challenge incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in what will be one of the most expensive and hotly contested races in 2018.
"You're the first to know I'm going to run for the U.S. Senate representing the great state of Florida," Scott said in brief statement on Facebook ahead of the kickoff event. "We're going to do the exact same thing we've done in Florida, we're going to turn around the national economy. We're going to make sure that Washington works for us."
The announcement has been signaled by Scott for months, and in recent weeks he cut ties to Let's Get to Work, his main political committee he used to push him to victory in consecutive governor's races, as well as New Republican, a federal-level pro-Trump political committee he chaired. New Republican is expected to support Scott's Senate run, but candidates for federal races aren't allowed to coordinate with super PACs.
Scott's entrance in the race was immediately bashed by several Democrats and progressive groups.
"Just like the rest of the Tallahassee establishment, Rick Scott is only looking out for himself _ that's why he gave tax breaks to wealthy and powerful millionaires like himself while slashing education spending and refusing federal help for hundreds of thousands of Floridians without health insurance," said Winter Park businessman Chris King, a Democratic candidate to replace Scott as governor.
Scott made his announcement at ODC Construction, a firm which has grown to 400 employees and which Scott has touted before as emblematic of his job growth policies.
