Debbie Mucarsel-Powell camp lays out Rick Scott’s plan to outlaw abortion nationwide

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has a habit of publishing multi-point plans. But now it’s a Democratic opponent publishing a detailed write-up of the Naples Republican’s abortion positions.

Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell unveiled a fresh attack, saying Scott could enact a national abortion ban in a second Senate term. The Miami Democrat’s campaign published a five-point plan of what Scott would do to restrict reproductive health care given the chance.

While Scott last week called Mucarsel-Powell a “liar” for saying he supports a national ban, the plan sources Scott’s own votes and quotes on the issue.

“Rick Scott is lying about the fact that he voted for a national abortion ban because he knows his toxic agenda is out of step with Floridians,” said Kate Letzler Moore, Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign manager. “But no amount of burying his radical agenda will hide the fact that Scott wants to take away our freedoms.”

The plan? According to the Democratic camp, Scott would: 1. Pass a national abortion ban; 2. Include no exceptions for rape or incest; 3. Jail doctors providing care; 4. Institute barriers to access essential care; and 5. Ban access to birth control.

To source this, the campaign leans in part on the “Rescue America” plan Scott infamously released while he chaired the National Republican Senatorial Campaign, something Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell trashed ahead of the caucus suffering a net loss in seats in 2022.

“I’ll warn you; this plan is not for the faint of heart,” Scott wrote in that document. The “Rescue America” plan says “abortion stops a beating heart” and that “unborn babies are babies.”

But the document published by Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign also sources Scott’s voting record, noting he co-sponsored and voted for legislation in 2020 that would have banned abortions at 15 weeks, a so-called “pain-capable” ban. The legislation laid out potential prison sentences for doctors. The bill notably had exceptions for rape, incest and risk of life of the mother.

But Mucarsel-Powell’s camp backs up assertions Scott would go much further.  Democrats note Scott declared less than a year ago he would have signed an abortion bill passed by the Florida Legislature with limited exceptions.

Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign also spotlights legislation Scott signed as Florida Governor, including requirements forcing women to pay for ultrasounds before obtaining abortions. Scott co-sponsored Senate legislation seeking to impose those requirements nationwide.

The assertion Scott wants to limit birth control access cites Scott’s endorsement of Arizona Republican Blake Masters, a Senate candidate who lost in 2022. Masters criticized several Supreme Court decision, including the Griswold v. Connecticut decision in 1965 that ensured married couples access to birth control.

“Rick Scott can try to lie away his radical record, but the Debbie for Florida campaign will continue to hold him accountable and remind every Floridian what his anti-freedom plan actually is,” Letzler Moore said.