A.G. Gancarski
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott expects Republican primary voters in Missouri to ensure a controversial Senate candidate doesn’t make the General Election.
Scott, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, was asked Thursday about the candidacy of Eric Greitens, a former Governor who is and was steeped in scandal.
Greitens resigned amid what NPR called “an investigation of claims that he tried to dodge the state’s campaign disclosure laws and to blackmail a former lover.” But he is among the leading candidates for Senate in the state.
On the Hugh Hewitt Show, Scott acknowledged there were “real concerns that (Greitens) might not be able to win in the General.”
Scott expects “good primaries where people have to talk about the issues” and for the “right person to come out.”
Pressed further on the Greitens question by guest host Kurt Schlicter, Scott predicted someone else would prevail.
“I think that what you’re going to see is one of the other candidates is going to win,” Scott said. “I think that you can already see it.”
Scott mentioned Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Billy Long as two candidates.
He did not mention a third candidate, U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, who is working with OnMessage, Inc. according to POLITICO. Scott has used OnMessage in his own campaigns, as has current Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.
Scott downplayed the chances of losing Missouri, noting that it’s a “Republican state” Donald Trump won by 16 points and saying Democrats “don’t even have a candidate.”
The NRSC does not take positions in Senate primaries, so Scott may not go much farther on the subject unless there are new revelations about the candidate between now and next year’s Primary Election.
Polling of the Senate race is sparse, but Greitens is up against Democrats in what is available. But Republicans have seen a problematic frontrunner lose here before, as in 2012 when candidate Todd Akin lost after saying women have a way of protecting their bodies from pregnancy in cases of what he called “legitimate rape.”
The Hugh Hewitt Show has been consistent in attempting to muscle Greitens out of the field in recent weeks. Hewitt himself urged former President Donald Trump not to back Greitens, according to The Hill. Trump said Hewitt had an “interesting opinion” and noted Greitens was “leading by a quite a bit.”
