Phil Ammann
On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott gave reporters a “wish list” of what he hopes for in the next president, but stopped short of supporting either prospective candidate from Florida: Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio.
Instead, the governor focused on the Sunshine State’s economic recovery at POLITICO’s Fifth Annual State Solutions Conference held in Washington D.C. this week. Scott suggested the next White House occupant should be more aggressive than President Barack Obama both at home and abroad.
“Let’s get our economy going … defend our country from terrorism … fix Obamacare,” Scott told the audience, which assembled ahead of the annual National Governors Association’s winter meeting. “Let’s pick someone who brags about our country.”
Scott did offer praise for Rubio, the U.S. Senator from Miami, who he refers to as a “very good partner.” Scott said he recently spoke with Bush, the previous two-term Florida governor.
Saying he will “most likely” wait until just before Florida’s March 2016 primary to endorse a GOP nominee, Scott praised Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
As Florida’s “biggest competitor” for jobs, POLITICO’s Jonathan Topaz writes, Scott said the Lone Star State is the “gold standard” for employment policy, adding that Perry is a “ball” to be around.
“He has a lot of energy.”
As for potential 2016 contenders, Scott most frequently mentions Perry and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Throughout the talk, subjects ranged from jobs to the high temperature in Naples – Scott’s hometown – as well as how good it would be for the state if Rubio or Bush (or both) decided to run for the Oval Office.
“ … [A]nybody from Florida running for president is good for Florida,” Scott told the crowd. “They’re going to talk about how great we’re doing.”
Rubio should run for president, only if he wants to, Scott said, declining to weigh in on whether the first-term senator should run for reelection at the same time. Simultaneously running for president and re-election to the Senate is prohibited by Florida law.
Later, Scott said he does not approve of Obama’s push to normalize U.S. – Cuba relations, a contentious issue in Florida, a state with a large Cuban-American population.
Trade sanctions and embargoes are the only way to force human rights reforms and democracy in Cuba, he said.
