ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida Senator Rick Scott announced in a news release on Thursday that he was endorsing former President Donald Trump as the GOP's candidate to "beat Joe Biden and rescue America" over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scott said in the news release that Trump was the "strongest candidate" and had a "proven track record of strong leadership." The senator explained his reason behind backing the former president in a Newsweek op-ep saying:
“It’s time for the Republican Party to come together, behind one candidate, and declare with one voice that we are united in our efforts to defeat Joe Biden and rescue America.
I know most of the candidates running for president, and I respect their decision to put themselves through this very difficult process. They’ve made their case to voters, laid out their agendas and their plans, and told their stories. Make no mistake: every single one of them would be a better president than Joe Biden. But Republican voters are making their voices heard loud and clear. They want to return to the leadership of Donald Trump.
President Trump will be our nominee because America was safer and more prosperous when he led our nation. Our economy was booming, and we were achieving energy independence. He took on Communist China and stood up to dictators in Latin America. He did more for Israel than any other president in our history, bringing stability and peace in the Middle East though the Abraham Accords, while Joe Biden is undoing all the work his administration accomplished."
To read the full op-ed, click here.
The endorsement comes two days before Trump and DeSantis are expected to speak at the Florida Republican Party's Freedom Summit in Kissimmee. The event is scheduled to kick off a week filled with campaigning events, including the third Republican presidential debate happening Wednesday in Miami.
According to the Miami Herald, Scott is the latest Florida Republican to have come out in support of Trump's 2024 campaign over DeSantis.
"More than half of the state’s Republican congressional delegation has already endorsed the former president, and just last week, state Rep. Randy Fine announced that he would switch his support from DeSantis to Trump," the Herald said.
The senator also announced his endorsement on X, formally known as Twitter, on Thursday.
CBS News reports that polling continuously shows Trump as the front-runner in the GOP presidential primary over DeSantis. Presidential primary votes are not able to be cast until Jan. 15, 2024, but early polling shows Trump maintaining a lead.
A Des Moines-Register/NBC poll showed 43% of likely Republican caucusgoers choosing Trump as their first choice for president, up from 42% in an August Iowa Poll, while DeSantis was tied with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 16%.
The Miami Herald reported that Scott and DeSantis have had a "fraught relationship" over the years, while Scott and Trump have a longstanding friendship and political alliance.
Back in 2018, Trump endorsed Scott when he was running to replace Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson.
