ORLANDO, Fla. — Sen. Rick Scott won his reelection bid Tuesday, with Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell coming in second place.
In the race, Scott had raised nearly $30 million from 2019 through October 2024, according to the most recent campaign filing released October 15. Comparatively, Mucarsel-Powell earned just over $25 million from 2017 through October 2024.
Scott easily cleared a primary challenge, earning 84.4% of the vote against challenger Keith Gross. Mucarsel-Powell’s primary race was closer, but not enough to make the race a nailbiter. She earned 68.6% over three other Democratic contenders.
The race centered on several key issues, including the economy, immigration, and abortion, a key issue in the state due to the Constitutional Amendment also on the ballot Tuesday.
In the weeks leading up to election day, the candidates unleashed new ads.
In one of them, Mucarsel-Powell equated her opponent to a snake.
"Florida’s biggest snake isn’t in the Everglades, he’s in the Senate, Rick Scott," she said.
Mucarsel-Powell has accused Scott of stealing money from seniors — referencing a 1997 Medicare fraud case involving Columbia/HCA, a hospital company Scott was CEO of.
She goes on to say Scott, as a senator, wrote a plan to end Social Security, raise taxes and ban abortion.
Mucarsel-Powell made stops in Hillsborough County in October, and in Seminole County, where Spectrum News asked her what she would do to help people, including Latinos, who have concerns about the economy.
"I have a bill that I could lead in the Senate that could reduce property insurance rates by 25%," she said. "We can bring really good paying jobs here if we bring in investments for solar manufacturing. We are The Sunshine State.
"There are a lot of opportunities that we can bring so that we allow our young Floridians to stay in the state of Florida, have a good-paying job, and eventually be able to buy their first home if they choose to."
And on the other side of the race, Scott is trying to win the Hispanic vote.
He released an Hispanic radio ad statewide.
"Soy Rick Scot, candidato al Senado de los Estados Unidos y apruebo este mensaje," Scott said in the add.
The ad is titled, "Socialism Has a Name."
According to Scott’s office, the ad talked about Mucarsel-Powell’s political career during her time in Congress.