Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Presidential hopefuls hoping to score an endorsement from Gov. Rick Scott better come armed with a plan to create 12 million new jobs over four years.
Scott, who thus far has refrained from endorsing a candidate in the 2016 race, said he is looking for a candidate who is focused on developing the nation’s economy.
“We need somebody that basically has done what we’ve done in Florida,” he said to reporters after a stop in Fort Myers. “We need more jobs. The next president really needs to focus on how do we get 12 million more jobs over the next four years. Somebody has to have a good plan.”
The focus on jobs is unsurprising. The Naples Republican has been laser-focused on job creation since taking office in 2011. On Monday, he was in Southwest Florida to announce a Florida logistics company is adding 80 more jobs in Fort Myers over the next three years. He was scheduled to hold a similar event in Tampa later in the day.
Talking points prepared by the governor’s office show Scott was prepared to respond to questions about an endorsement by pivoting to the economy.
Yet a candidate will have to do more than just boost job growth to capture Scott’s endorsement. Scott said the country also needed someone who was going to balance the federal budget, cut federal regulations and “figure out how to destroy ISIS.”
Scott plans to take a closer look at all the candidates and said he’ll “be making a decision down the road” about an endorsement.
“I think we’re still hearing from all these candidates,” he said. “I think the debates have been helpful, but we’re going to hear a lot more, especially as these primaries are starting up.”
The Iowa caucuses are Feb. 1, while voters in New Hampshire head to the polls Feb. 9. Florida’s presidential preference primary is scheduled March 15.
