Jacob Ogles
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has a new ad responding to attacks on his hurricane record by Democratic opponent Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The Naples Republican spotlights support from Florida Sheriffs, specifically during natural disasters.
“While Debbie continues to lie about Rick Scott’s record, the evidence is clear about how wrong she is,” reads a release from Scott’s re-election campaign. “It’s sad to see a silly socialist get so desperate that she’s willing to lie to politicize a natural disaster that killed Floridians.”
After Helene made landfall in Florida last week as a Category 4 hurricane, Mucarsel-Powell posted an attack ad against the incumbent. In it, the Democrat says in a voiceover: “Another hurricane, more devastation, and Rick Scott is only making it worse.”
The response ad from Scott starts with that clip, then shifts focus to the Democrat’s record. A male narrator calls Mucarsel-Powell a “one-term failure” referring to a single term in the U.S. House she served before losing re-election in 2020 to Republican Carlos Giménez. “Why? She votes like a socialist and makes things up.”
The ad noted Scott earned the endorsement of 60 Florida Sheriffs, several of whom speak in the ad about his response. Those include Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay.
But the advertisement focuses primarily on storm response.
“The man didn’t sleep,” Marceno says of Scott.
“He’s always the first one here,” Chronister adds.
“To date, the former Congresswoman hasn’t been endorsed by anyone from Florida’s law enforcement community,” a campaign email states.
Scott notably left Washington last week to attend briefings with local government officials in the Big Bend before Helene made landfall. He has toured storm-impacted areas over the week since the storm devastated large swaths of the state.
A fact-check on Mucarsel-Powell’s ad sent by Scott’s campaign notes the Democrat did not travel to the Gulf Coast prior to the storm, and instead attended a New York fundraiser.
That email also takes issue with assertions from Mucarsel-Powell’s ad that he took $3 million in insurance industry donations, and is therefore in the pocket of carriers.
“Rick Scott does not take money away from anyone,” the email states. “As a successful two-term Governor and U.S. Senator, people from nearly every single industry, county and city across Florida have donated to his campaigns.”
Beyond that, the Republican campaign notes the Democrat also reported checks from Aflac, Cigna, Northwestern Mutual and other insurance interests.
The original ad from Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign cited donations to Scott’s federal campaign account and to the pro-Scott Let’s Get to Work PAC.
Mucarsel-Powell’s ad suggested that Scott’s actions as Governor led to a property insurance crisis in the state. Scott’s campaign responded that problems would be far worse but for his leadership.
“During his eight years as Governor of Florida, Senator Scott fought relentlessly to depopulate Citizens, returning it to a state of solvency, and attract new insurers to Florida that kept premiums affordable for Florida families,” the campaign email states.
“When Senator Scott ended his term as Florida’s Governor in January 2019, Florida’s property insurance market was more stable than it had been in more than a decade.”
Mucarsel-Powell’s ad accuses Scott of voting against disaster funding. The campaign cited voted cast against budget deals by Scott dating back to 2022.
Scott’s campaign stressed he has voted against “terrible omnibus bill” but pushed repeatedly, including in the last week, for standalone legislation fully funding the Federal Emergency Management Association.
The Republican campaign asserts that the only part of Mucarsel-Powell’s ad that rings true is the phrase “I’m Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.”
14 comments
Bobblehead Kammy
October 4, 2024 at 6:46 pm
Debbie getting desperate now. Cue up the music, “turn out the lights, the party is over.”
"E"
October 4, 2024 at 8:57 pm
Yeah Bob as it stands its pretty much over for that Murcarsel – other name – Debbie Lady.
HOWEVER:
Some Hotty Hot Bikini pics of her put out at this time may be helpfull for her ability to get some more votes. This is total political advice and has nothing to do with any prevert motives which may or may not live inside my brain and my weiner.
Thank you “E” [Not-A-Perve],
“E”
A Day without MAGA
October 5, 2024 at 8:04 am
Another Tropical Storm is headed to Florida,it give Rick Scott another do over
Hurricane Milton
October 5, 2024 at 9:36 am
Cat 3 ,on Thursday, between Tampa and Miami
SallyB
October 4, 2024 at 11:37 pm
Her campaign ads are so misleading and disingenuous, if not downright prevarications. Then again, the Democratic Party of Florida is a joke, starting with its failed chairwoman, who accepts money from Big Sugar, Florida’s largest polluter.
A Day without MAGA
October 5, 2024 at 8:05 am
Google Rick Scott Medicare Fraudster
A day without Libturds
October 5, 2024 at 8:13 am
Dingbat Debbie gets funded by warlords in Ukraine. Google it, libturd scumbag.
A Day without Hurricane
October 5, 2024 at 9:42 am
Hurricane update Cat 5, according to the latest model on Thursday
A day without Libturds
October 5, 2024 at 8:15 am
Libturds have nothing to offer but failure so they blame others. If elected they will turn Florida into a shithole
A Day without MAGA
October 5, 2024 at 9:44 am
Florida is already a third world banana Republic, even English will become a second language
Ocean Joe
October 5, 2024 at 9:49 am
While governor, he urged residents to flee Miami. Many fled to the west coast, got trapped because of gasoline shortages and had to weather the storm which hit where they fled.
When Irma hit Monroe County, he interfered with our pre-existing storm clean up contract with Ashbritt, assigning work to MSM which contributed to him and which then charged exorbitantly higher prices per item, for example, and by diverting available drivers grossly delayed our clean up. One of our county commissioners (a Republican) referred to it as price gouging.
(See Jim Defede’s Channel 4 Miami documentary).
Then a hurricane hit the Miami area, a hospital lost power and AC resulting in the deaths of several patients. The staff attempted to contact Scott on his cell phone for help(he had given the number out and urged folks to do so), mysteriously his messages could not be located and members of the hospital staff were criminally prosecuted.
This guy has no business holding a position of public trust. As for storms, this Indiana carpetbagger is a panic mongering alarmist who thinks everyone can easily evacuate when he has contributed mightily to Florida’s current population and lacking roadways.
Tjb
October 7, 2024 at 7:07 pm
Did Scott vote against the recent bill to increase FEMA funding?
Dont Say FLA
October 8, 2024 at 7:29 am
“GOP candidate releases fact check”
uhhhhhhhhhhh. LOL
GOPs like to say they do their own research, and that’s probably even true. Problem is, they’re not qualified to do research. They “do their own research” until they find something consistent with their own confirmation bias and then declare their bias to be supported fact.
Joe
October 8, 2024 at 9:52 am
Florida Sheriffs: “Waaah”
Comments are closed.