Florida Sen. Rick Scott Gains Grassroots Momentum For Senate GOP Leader

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Proclaiming President-elect Donald Trump has a “mandate,” Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott said this week he’s the man to become Senate majority leader to ram through the Republican agenda come January.
“We have been given a mandate by the American people to support President Trump’s agenda and Make Washington WORK again,” Scott said. “I’m running to be the next Senate Majority leader to do just that.”
“I’m gonna run. I’m gonna win,” he said. “My Republican colleagues [want] change. They know that Trump has a mandate. They want to be part of that mandate.”
Scott also touted his “great working relationship” with Trump and with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
The Florida senator additionally vowed to treat all members as “equals.”
After Trump’s victory, prominent figures on social media instrumental to Trump’s win through “get out the vote” efforts quickly coalesced around Scott for the role.
“We all need to support Rick Scott (R-FL) for Senate Majority Leader,” said Scott Presler, founder of Early Vote Action PAC and resident of Pennsylvania. “Otherwise, it will be a repeat of 2016 & you’ll have Paul Ryan saboteurs.”
“Call your Senators & tell them they need to vote for Senator Rick Scott,” he said. “We also demand a public vote.”
“Rick Scott for leader,” said Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, a grassroots organization with prominent get-out-the-vote operations in crucial battleground states.
Scott will have to convince senators for the internal election on Nov. 13 – Tuesday, exactly one week after the general election. So far, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has backed Scott publicly.
Dan Bongino, well-known political commentator and host of the Dan Bongino Show, also came out in support of Scott.
According to Axios, before the election, Trump had shrugged off Scott’s bid for Senate GOP leader. However, a Trump spokesperson pushed back on the reporting, noting the president-elect has not publicly or officially weighed in on the race.
Additionally, Axios reported that “people very close to Trump” have signaled their support for Scott as Senate leader.