Hakeem Jeffries backs former colleague Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in Senate race

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Image via AP.

The leader of House Democrats is weighing in on Florida’s U.S. Senate race.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is endorsing former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, offering more evidence of the coalition behind the former one-term legislator from South Florida ahead of a Tuesday Primary.

“I proudly and strongly endorse my friend and former colleague Debbie Mucarsel-Powell,” Jeffries said.

“In the House, Debbie stood up for reproductive freedom, fought to strengthen Medicare and Social Security, and worked every day to lower costs for Floridians. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will fight hard for Florida’s families in the Senate and continue to put people over politics in order to deliver real results for hardworking taxpayers. It’s time to turn the page on Rick Scott’s extreme far right agenda, and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is the one to do it.”

“I am honored to have the support of a former colleague and steadfast leader who has consistently fought for everyday Americans,” Mucarsel-Powell added.

“For two years, Leader Jeffries has led House Democrats in confronting the unending chaos and confusion caused by extreme House Republicans. He knows more than anyone how out-of-touch politicians like Rick Scott are failing American families, but he also knows we can do better. Standing together, we will defeat Rick Scott and protect freedom for all.”

The endorsement comes as the National Organization for Women PAC also is backing Mucarsel-Powell, amid positive polling for the challenger’s campaign. She trails by just 4 points, 47% to 43%, in the latest survey from Florida Atlantic University’s PolCom Lab.

Meanwhile, polling from Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) shows Scott ahead of Mucarsel-Powell by 10 points (52-42%) with 7% of voters undecided.

Questions remain, meanwhile, about Scott’s popularity after a USA Today survey released Monday. The R+8 poll showed him at just 35% approval, and suggested the Senator has issues across various demographics.

Scott and Mucarsel-Powell have Primaries Tuesday, but those are not expected to be competitive on either side.