Bill Nelson disputes ‘vulnerable’ claim, says he’s ‘going to win’

Bill Nelson

Sen. Bill Nelson is vying for his fourth term in office; however, one national outlet rates him as the “most vulnerable” Senate incumbent.

Per elections analyst Nate Silver‘s FiveThirtyEight, Nelson is the “most vulnerable” Democratic senator on the 2018 ballot, plagued by “a very good challenger in Florida: Gov. Rick Scott,” a Naples Republican.

We asked Nelson on Wednesday if he was vulnerable, given the bleak FiveThirtyEight assessment.

“FiveThirtyEight also says I’m going to win,” Nelson said, drawing laughter from those around him.

Nelson “absolutely” believes issues like the red tide and green algae, which drew protesters that were the main news from Scott’s “Make Washington Work” tour, will work in his favor.

“My opponent has systematically dismantled the environmental agencies and their funding,” Nelson noted, “on regulating pollution going into the waterways.”

“That is going to be a major issue in this campaign,” Nelson noted.

We also got Nelson’s take on the apparent/alleged schism between Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump, a function of DeSantis not backing Trump’s claims that there were nowhere near over 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico caused by last year’s hurricane.

“What else is new,” Nelson quipped.

Polls so far rate the race as a toss-up.

A Reuters/Ipsos/University of Virginia Center for Politics Poll released Wednesday showed Scott up 46-45, well inside the four point margin of error.

Republicans have consistently messaged that the Nelson campaign is tanking, though polls don’t reflect that. Even a personnel move — the departure of Carlie Waibel to the Andrew Gillum campaign — earned a Republican National Committee press release this week.

“It’s no wonder that Nelson’s staffers are jumping ship from his sinking campaign,” remarked RNC spokesperson Taryn Fenske, who added that Nelson’s campaign may be “unsalvageable.”

Likewise, volunteer phone bankers from Sacramento were held up this week by one Republican operative as evidence that there is no on-the-ground enthusiasm for Nelson.

“Bill Nelson’s campaign is so desperate he’s now resorted to enlisting the help of radicals from California almost 3,000 miles away from Florida,” said Camille Gallo, NRSC spokesperson.

“Maybe if Bill Nelson actually worked for Florida, Floridians would be willing to help him keep his job.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


One comment

  • MicheleRyan

    September 20, 2018 at 8:09 pm

    I will vote this election for candidates who prioritize citizens over illegal aliens (bet you thought that was a given …not anymore), those who oppose sanctuary cities, amnesty and taxpayer funded in state college tuition discounts for illegals. That means NO Democrats.

    Liberal Democrat BILL NELSON and Socialist ANDREW GILLUM are running for Senate & Governor respectively. Nelson / Gillum both proudly supports abolishing ICE, sanctuary cities, amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, using taxpayer funds for illegal aliens & DACA. In addition, both are weak on border security and national defense.

    If you OPPOSE illegal immigration, taxpayer funds used for illegal aliens, sanctuary cities, amnesty r Please VOTE NO for BILL NELSON & ANDREW GILLUM this November….we can’t afford anymore Democrats.

    Gallup poll- almost 60% of Democrats now view socialism positively, little changed from 2010 survey. (Gallup-Democrats More Positive About Socialism Than Capitalism)

    Many Democrats support the following immigration issues-

    Sanctuary cities-

    Eventually, as cities across the country begin announcing they will NOT be sanctuary the criminals, gang members, Illegal aliens living there will flock to the nearest welcoming sanctuary city. Than city will get an increase in crime and expenses. The only real justice is the people who live in these sanctuary cities will get exactly what they wanted and fought for. A city that is sanctuary to felons, illegal aliens fleeing ICE and fugitives….with more arriving every day. Democrats fight to the death defending sanctuary cites and at the same time demand to abolish of ICE.

    The current migration at our southern border is costing taxpayers a Kings Ransom. Fleeing persecution? or fleeing for freebies? they sure don’t stay in Mexico when they reach “safety” or ask for political asylum in Mexico. Why? because Mexico will give them NOTHING. So they make the long journey to our border, our generous Democrats and our tax dollars.

    Costs-

    When you reward illegal immigration with jobs, amnesty, drivers licenses, discounts for college tuition, scholarships encourages MORE illegal entry.. Just debating DACA in congress is costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars….. thank the parents.

    Just a few examples of the more outrageous costs associated with illegal immigration, we will pass this burden on to our children and grand children as has been passed on to us.

    *Numerous Democrat city & state governments are using tax payer funds to litigate on behalf of illegal aliens, CA,NY, Phila, Portland, Seattle, Denver just a small sample..

    *The cost of educating illegal aliens children is staggering. From K-12 it costs taxpayers $122,000 for EACH illegal alien student. This does not include the billions spent on bilingual education for illegal aliens.

    *Taxpayers in numerous states are funding in state college tuition discounts for illegal aliens. Cost to taxpayers over a billion dollars annually.

    *2016 illegal aliens sent home $62 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. This is why Mexico is getting involved in our politics.

    *30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.Does not include local jails and State Prisons. At $21,000 per year expense per inmate in Federal Prison U do the math.

    *$3Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate, process Illegal aliens in the Criminal justice system. I repeat 3 MILLION a DAY.

    *$2.2Billion dollars a year is spent on is spent on food assistance programs such as SNAP (food stamps) WIC, & free school lunches.

    If you OPPOSE illegal immigration, taxpayer funds used for illegal aliens, sanctuary cities, amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, weak border security, tax increases. VOTE NO for ALL Democrats this November

Comments are closed.


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