Val Demings slams Marco Rubio’s silence on Rick Scott tax hike plan

Marco Rubio leads, but Val Demings is formidable.

Sen. Rick Scott isn’t on the ballot in 2022, but a Democrat running for Senate is making him an issue.

Rep. Val Demings, the likely 2022 Democratic nominee, took incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio to task Friday for a proposal Scott made.

Demings specifically said Rubio couldn’t go against the wishes of his “party boss.”

“Marco Rubio’s party boss is planning to hike taxes on Florida’s working-class and senior citizens, and he’s going along with it. Because Marco Rubio is too cowardly to stand up to the politicians and special interests that tell him what to do,” Demings asserted.

Scott’s “11-Point Plan to Rescue America” included a call for everyone to have “skin in the game,” suggesting those who don’t currently have income tax liability should pay up.

“All Americans should pay some income tax to have skin in the game, even if a small amount. Currently over half of Americans pay no income tax,” Scott asserted, with a spokesperson offering larger context to FactCheck.Org.

“Sen. Scott believes that everyone should pay their fair share, and everyone should have skin in the game,” said Chris Hartline, spokesperson for the Scott-controlled National Republican Senatorial Committee.

“There are too many people who are benefiting from government services without contributing to the system. That obviously would not include retirees who have paid plenty in taxes or working Americans who are paying into the system through either income tax or payroll tax. He believes there are too many able-bodied Americans who are choosing not to work, partly due to policies from Joe Biden and the Democrats, that have expanded the welfare state and paid people more to not work than to work. That should change,” Hartline added.

We’ve reached out to the Rubio campaign for a response to Demings’ assertion that the Senator can’t buck Scott on this tax proposal. We will update if such is provided.