TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on Florida Gov. Rick Scott announcing for U.S. Senate (all times local):
11 a.m.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson says he is prepared to run against Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a highly anticipated clash between the two politicians.
Nelson on Monday issued a brief statement where he said that while Scott “will say or do anything to get elected” that if he does the “right thing” then the “politics will take care of itself.”
Scott, a Republican, formally kicked off his campaign for U.S. Senate at the headquarters of an Orlando-based construction company. During his speech Scott called for term limits in Congress and railed against “career politicians” that he said have made Washington a “disaster.”
Scott has been Florida’s governor since 2010 and was urged by President Donald Trump to run for U.S. Senate.
Nelson is Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat.
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7 a.m.
Calling Washington “horribly dysfunctional,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott will challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in an election that could be one of the most expensive and highly-watched races in the nation.
The Republican governor will formally announce his campaign to unseat Florida’s only statewide-elected Democrat on Monday in Orlando. During his announcement, Scott is expected to criticize “career politicians” and call for term limits for members of Congress.
Scott is a multi-millionaire who never ran for office before he ran for governor in 2010. He rode into office as part of the tea party movement and called for massive budget and tax cuts. But he was forced to scale back his plans amid opposition from the GOP-controlled Legislature. He also changed his hard line positions on immigration.
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2:28 am.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected to finally jumpstart his long-anticipated campaign for U.S. Senate.
Scott will make a “big” announcement on his political future on Monday in Orlando. It is anticipated that Scott will announce that he’s challenging U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson this fall.
Scott first said he may challenge Nelson right after President Donald Trump was elected. Trump has urged Scott to run.
One clear sign that Scott is running is that he broke off ties on Sunday to Let’s Get to Work, a political committee he has been associated with since his first campaign.
Nelson is the only statewide elected Democrat and was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000.
Scott was first elected governor in 2010 but he cannot run again because of term limits.
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