Florida Governor Announces Senate Run

ORLANDO, FL — Having traded jabs over Washington's dysfunction and gun control, Florida Gov. Rick Scott formally announced the main event on Monday. The tw0-term governor said he will seek the U.S. Senate seat held by three-term Democrat Bill Nelson. The Senate race could become one of the most costly in U.S. history.

"Eight years ago on this date I announced that we would run for governor and first lady. She was probably the only person that really had a belief that I could win," said Scott, pointing to his success in turning around his state's economic fortunes.

"Today with my wife by my side I'm announcing I'm running for the U.S. Senate for the great state of Florida," Scott declared.

Wearing the same blue Navy baseball cap he has worn at numerous other events, the governor was introduced by a Hispanic business owner from Puerto Rico. Scott touted the state's assistance in helping those afflicted by Hurricane Maria. He pointed to his record of attracting nearly 1.5 million jobs to the Sunshine State and a nearly 40 percent increase in tourism since taking office.

"People are flocking to Florida because this is where you can live the dream in this country," Scott insisted. "Now we've got to take that same mission to DC."

The Republican criticized "career politicians" and "tired old thinking" in Washington as he called for term limits for members of Congress.

"We have term limits in this state," said Scott. "We have in most states term limits for governor. We have term limits for president, which we should. Why don't we have it for Congress?"

Scott is a multi-millionaire businessman who never ran for office before his successful governor's race in 2010. He campaigned as part of the tea party movement and called for massive budget and tax cuts, but was forced to scale back his plans amid opposition from the GOP-controlled Legislature. He also changed his hard line positions on immigration.

Scott is leaving office due to term limits, and had been urged to challenge Nelson, Florida's only statewide-elected Democrat, by President Donald Trump.

"We've got to bring new ideas, fresh thinking and we've got to change the direction in this country for our benefit, not for the benefit of career politicians in Washington, D.C."

Democrats have been anticipating his move for months and have ramped up criticism, noting that Scott had been forced out as chief executive of Columbia/HCA amid a federal fraud investigation. Although Scott was never charged with any wrongdoing, the health care conglomerate paid a then-record $1.7 billion fine for Medicare fraud.

Democrats also plan to fault Scott over his record while governor, including his initial push for deep budget cuts to education and his back-and-forth position on whether to expand Medicaid.

"Floridians will have the benefit of a clear-eyed view of a truly dismal record," said Dan Gelber, a former state senator and now Miami Beach mayor. "Floridians won't forget the damage Rick Scott's self-serving politics have done these last seven years, no matter how he tries to change his spots and obscure his record."

Scott's record on gun laws earned him an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association before the killings of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine's Day. Ultimately, Scott signed Florida's new law raising the age limit to purchase rifles to 21 and creating a new process enabling law enforcement to seize guns from someone who is considered a danger.

"I didn't fit into Tallahassee because I didn't play the insider games," Scott said in announcing his bid. "I never intended to fit into Tallahassee and guess what? I'm not going to fit into Washington either. We need to shake up Washington."

The Associated Press contributed to this article

Photo courtesy Florida governor's office