A.G. Gancarski
The Donald Trump scandal d’jour involves his criticisms of a judge presiding over his Trump University trial, whom Trump believes may be biased because of his Mexican heritage.
Trump has already lost one endorsement, that of Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, and seems to have caused one Iowa state senator to leave the Republican Party over it.
Meanwhile, Trump skeptics ranging from Lindsey Graham to Jeb Bush have signaled intense discontent with Trump’s comments, with the South Carolina senator saying this incident could represent the “off ramp” from the Trump campaign. Even Mitch McConnell, the realest of realpolitik practitioners, warned Trump to “get on message” this week, as apparently ethnic criticisms of federal judges don’t jibe with a general election strategy.
As much of the Republican Party moves away from the incendiary rhetoric of the presumptive nominee, it is notable that Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak at a Tampa rally for Trump next week, seemingly undeterred by Trump’s careening from one rhetorical misstep to the next.
Scott, many times, has told the media that he sees Trump as a fellow “political outsider.” However, when asked Wednesday about his dispensation on Trump’s comments, Scott did not endorse them.
“I am not responsible for what any candidate says,” Gov. Scott said to FloridaPolitics.com at a brief press availability in Jacksonville.
Scott noted the 250 judges he appointed, as well as the 2,900 people he’s put on boards and commissions, come from “all sorts of backgrounds.”
There was no time for the governor to take follow-up questions, which were coming from other members of the media.
However, if Trump is not able to pivot away from intemperate comments and positions, Gov. Scott can expect further questions about the “businessman and political outsider” he endorsed in March, hours after the Florida GOP primary results became known.
