Rick Scott significantly improves his margin of victory with first re-election to Senate

Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott importantly improved his borderline of triumph successful 2024, compared to his razor-thin triumph successful 2018, erstwhile helium archetypal joined the Senate. 

Scott defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by 12.76%, the Fox News Decision Desk projected Tuesday. Scott registered a constrictive 0.2% borderline of triumph successful 2016, erstwhile helium bushed Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson to articulation Florida's senatorial delegation aft serving arsenic the state's politician for respective years. 

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., hugs a protagonist astatine a run ticker enactment connected predetermination nighttime Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, successful Bonita Springs, Fla.  (Associated Press)

In summation to moving for re-election, Scott has besides been in the moving to caput the Senate aft the exit of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Scott volition look different GOP members vying for the job, including Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. 

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Prior to joining Congress, Scott was the Sunshine State's 45th governor, an bureau helium held from 2011-2018.

Scott's wider than expected borderline of triumph comes aft Democrats successful the authorities had hoped this predetermination mightiness beryllium a accidental for the Democratic Party to flip his seat.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks astatine a run ticker enactment connected predetermination nighttime Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, successful Bonita Springs, Fla.  (Associated Press)

"[Floridians] are truthful acceptable to discontinue [Scott] and nonstop idiosyncratic that’s going to enactment for them successful the U.S. Senate," Mucarsel-Powell said during her campaign, according to The Daily Beast. 

"Rick Scott is the astir wounded vertebrate of each the birds," influential Florida Democratic donor John Morgan told The Daily Beast earlier this year. National Democrats, meanwhile, insisted Scott's Senate spot was "in play," Politico reported.

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Mucarsel-Powell and Scott raised akin warfare chests, according to FEC records, but Scott did rise a fewer cardinal much than his Democratic challenger. Scott, however, had a self-funding advantage, giving his run astatine slightest $24.5 million. Mucarsel-Powell reportedly raised much than Scott successful donations alone.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., arrives with his wife, Ann, astatine a run ticker enactment connected predetermination nighttime Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, successful Bonita Springs, Fla.  (Associated Press)

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"Our enactment is not done. Next week, we person different predetermination — Senate Republican leader," Scott said during his triumph rally Tuesday night. "We request the Republican Party to commencement solving the problems of this country, and we person a important fig of problems. Florida is the halfway of the Republican Party of this country. Washington could larn a hellhole of a batch from what we've done present successful this large state."