Rick Scott lays out Washington-changing agenda if he’s elected Senate GOP Leader

Images via Rick Scott's 'Washington is Broken' video.

As U.S. Sen. Rick Scott runs for Senate Republican Leader, he is laying out his vision for animating Washington.

The Naples Republican released a video that splices together cartoon clips while deriding Washington norms. He asserted leaders for both parties in Washington should be drummed out.

“What if I told you there’s a magical place,” Scott says in narration, “where they can print money and you never have to pay your bills? A place where spending money you don’t have is good, term limits are bad and border security doesn’t matter?”

The video starts panning over a hand-drawn map of the U.S., turning the focus from Florida to a built-up Washington. It then splices to images of cartoon dollar bills falling from the sky.

Clips, which come chiefly from a Compass Classroom video on how industrial economies work, illustrate Scott’s words about a comic ineptness in Washington. It also shows images of Bugs Bunny, while mocking the status quo in Congress.

“It’s a place where they don’t care about crime or inflation. And where you can invent your own truth. Here it is! It’s called Washington,” Scott said, “and it’s time to throw the old leaders of both parties out!”

Scott released the video along with an extensive statement on his agenda as a candidate for leader.

He said his policy agenda would focus on issues directly important to Americans.

“How do we stop inflation and reverse it so a working family can afford a decent dinner? How do we secure our border so illegal aliens aren’t free to wander around our country and murder a young college woman out for a jog in Georgia? How do we turn things around and punish and stop crime instead of letting it get out of control and destroy our communities?” Scott said.

“Senate Republicans should be leading the way on these things, but we aren’t.”

Scott has long been critical of Republican leadership, and in 2022 became the first lawmaker to challenge Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as caucus leader since the Kentucky Republican first won that position.

Scott lost that contest, but quickly put out feelers after McConnell announced earlier this year he will step down from leadership.

The video put out by Scott suggests he doesn’t just want to take over from McConnell and keep moving in the same direction. He wants a dramatic shift in how Senate Republicans do business.

“I believe it is because we have two Republican Parties in America. One is in Washington. It’s a tired, old, Republican party led by establishment insiders,” Scott said.

“It is out of touch, not only with our problems but with our people. It cuts deals with (Senate Majority Leader) Chuck Schumer. It has secret votes and secret agendas. It’s the ‘go along to get along’ crowd. It’s yesterday’s Republican Party and it hasn’t made a dent in our problems in years.

Scott has long closely allied himself with former President Donald Trump, including endorsing him for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The Florida Republican now has echoed the rhetoric of his fellow businessman-turned politician.

“I’ve got some really good news: There is another Republican Party, a real Republican Party outside of Washington,” Scott said. “It’s the one Washington Republicans ignore. It’s the one that respects working people and their families and their beliefs. It’s the one that’s tired of being sold out, tired of being thrown under the bus, tired of the Washington status quo. It’s the one that supports Donald Trump, instead of undermining him all the time.

“These old establishment Republicans have had their day. It’s time for a change and a fresh, new approach. We can fix all of our country’s problems. I’m confident about that. But first, we Republicans need to clean up our own house in Washington. More of the same won’t cut it. That’s why I am running for re-election to the U.S. Senate and for Republican Leader.”