Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) defended Republican Senate candidates against “treasonous” party members who have questioned the chances of a GOP takeover of the upper chamber in the midterm elections.
Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, blasted fellow Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), for both anonymous and on-the-record comments about how subpar “candidate quality” may keep Republicans from winning the majority. McConnell and Scott have feuded over election strategy in the months leading up to the midterm elections.
RICK SCOTT’S FEUD WITH MCCONNELL RESURFACES FOLLOWING ‘CANDIDATE QUALITY’ REMARK
“Unfortunately, many of the very people responsible for losing the Senate last cycle are now trying to stop us from winning the majority this time by trash-talking our Republican candidates,” Scott wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Examiner. “It’s an amazing act of cowardice, and ultimately, it’s treasonous to the conservative cause. Giving anonymous quotes to help the Washington Post or the New York Times write stories trashing Republicans is the same as working with the Democratic National Committee.”
McConnell said last week that he thinks “there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate” and that “candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome.” Though Scott didn’t mention McConnell by name, he pushed back on the Senate’s top Republican in his op-ed, saying, “That’s not what leaders do. And Republicans need to be leaders that build up the team and do everything they can to get the entire team over the finish line.”
He individually defended each candidate, reminding voters that Pennsylvania’s Mehmet Oz is “a world-renowned doctor” and Georgia’s Herschel Walker is “a Heisman trophy winner.” Though Scott lamented that Republicans are trailing in fundraising, he maintains his optimistic outlook.
“Yes, I’m an optimist,” he said. “And I’m a cheerleader for our candidates. And I get a lot of crap for it from the D.C. crowd who tell me I shouldn’t sound so bullish or I should do more to set expectations.”
Scott elaborated on his differences with McConnell in an interview with Politico Wednesday.
“Sen. McConnell and I clearly have a strategic disagreement here. … We have great candidates,” he said. “He wants to do the same thing I want to do: I want to get a majority. And I think it’s important that we’re all cheerleaders for our candidates.”
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The two senators previously butted heads over Scott’s proposed 11-point plan for a Republican agenda should the GOP take back the upper chamber. After Scott released the proposal in February, McConnell publicly rebuked a part of the plan suggesting more taxes for low-income earners.
Republicans need to net just one seat in the Senate to gain control, but tough races in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and other swing states have cast doubt on the strength of a red wave.
