FLORIDA: Rick Scott Announces US Senate Bid

The Orlando Sentinel reports:

Gov. Rick Scott confirmed Monday morning he’s running for U.S. Senate, making the announcement in Orlando before heading out on a campaign kick-off tour of the state. He’ll challenge incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in what will be one of the most expensive and hotly contested races in 2018.

“You’re the first to know I’m going to run for the U.S. Senate representing the great state of Florida,” Scott said in brief statement on Facebook ahead of the kick-off event. “We’re going to do the exact same thing we’ve done in Florida, we’re going to turn around the national economy. We’re going to make sure that Washington works for us.”

The announcement has been signaled by Scott for months, and in recent weeks he cut ties to Let’s Get to Work, his main political committee he used to push him to victory in consecutive governor’s races, as well as New Republican, a federal-level pro-Trump political committee he chaired. New Republican is expected to support Scott’s Senate run, but candidates for federal races aren’t allowed to coordinate with super PACs.

Rick Scott vs Bill Nelson.
This will be long, ugly & expensive.
Brace yourselves, Florida. Other than maybe an alligator hole in the Everglades, we will not be able to run or hide anywhere to avoid the blitz of political advertising coming our way. https://t.co/0tIgGjy1af

— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) April 9, 2018