Most of the speculation around Gov. Rick Scott’s political future has centered on a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2018, when incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson will be up for re-election and facing a Republican-friendly midterm electorate that helped Scott win two terms in the governor’s mansion.
But there are also growing rumors that Scott might be in the running for a higher-profile position than taking one of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate — that he could instead be the running mate for Donald Trump if the real-estate mogul clinches the GOP presidential nomination, as seems increasingly likely.
Trump himself encouraged the rumors when, in an interview with The New York Times for a story published this weekend about a possible vice presidential selection, “he briefly praised three governors as possible contenders,” including Scott. The other two names Trump listed were New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first major Republicans to endorse Trump, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who’s still running for president.
Other media outlets have also contributed to the speculation. Writing last week on the website of the conservative National Review, Jim Geraghty said Scott “might be the most intriguing choice” for Trump’s running mate.
“Scott won two exceptionally nasty, hard-fought gubernatorial races and could lock up the state for Trump — giving him a win that John McCain and Mitt Romney could not achieve,” Geraghty wrote. “Scott’s a relatively low-key, even-tempered figure among Trump endorsers; he may not have an overwhelming personality, but he isn’t likely to do much harm.”
The governor has kept up a rigorous travel schedule that would seem aimed at raising his national profile. Scott is currently in California, one of several job-poaching trips he’s taken to states with Democratic governors. Over the weekend, he attended the White House Correspondents Dinner, one of the biggest annual social soirees in the nation’s capital.
But Melissa Sellers, Scott’s former chief of staff and a current adviser, dismissed the speculation Monday.
“The governor has made it clear that he has the job he wants and he won’t leave it,” Sellers said in an email. “Of course, he would always be willing to provide any insights from his experience in turning around Florida’s economy. Governor Scott is a long-time friend of Donald Trump’s. They have known each other in the business world for many years — long before the governor first ran for office in 2010.”
In some ways, an alliance between the two men would make sense. Like Trump, Scott is an outsider businessman who fought the party establishment in his first bid for public office.
“The common thread, of course, is the economy and ‘jobs, jobs, jobs,’ ” said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida.
And since Trump won the Florida presidential primary on March 15, Scott has become one of his stronger supporters — calling last week for the “Stop Trump” movement to give up after Trump swept primaries in mid-Atlantic states.
“Donald Trump is going to be our nominee, and he is going to be on the ballot as the Republican candidate for President. … If the anti-Trump groups don’t stop now, their efforts will be nothing more than a contribution to the Clinton campaign,” Scott wrote on his Facebook page.
There are questions, though, about how much either man might be able to help the other. Scott has long been a divisive governor in Florida. In the most recent Quinnipiac University Poll to survey Floridians’ attitudes about Scott — taken in October — 41 percent of voters approved of the governor’s performance, compared to 47 percent who disapproved.
Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, had a simple response to the prospect of a Trump-Scott ticket, according to a spokesman: “We could not be so lucky.”
And while Scott narrowly won two terms as governor, he did so in midterm elections. Democratic voters tend to turn out in higher numbers in presidential elections.
At the same time, if Scott were to tie himself too closely to Trump only to see the state won by Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, he could damage a potential Senate campaign in two years.
“I’m not sure about the pragmatism for either of them,” MacManus said.
MacManus also said that naming Scott as a possible running mate might also simply be a nod toward a critically important swing state in the fall. She noted that Nelson has also been brought up as a contender for Clinton’s No. 2 spot.
“Mentioning Florida is good politics,” she said.
–Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida
Veteran says
Would be a bad choice. Gov. Susan Martinez of NM much better.
Donald Trump's Tiny Fingers says
Please, please, please let this be true. I can’t imagine a better pairing with trump’s overt racism and idiocy than rick scott. That would be a hell of a ticket, and I would love to see the results of the millions upon millions of dollars of PAC money spent to deservedly drag him mewling through the mud.
BANKRUPTCY/MEDICARE FRAUD 2016
Wishful thinking says
Kiss of death for Trump……
GY says
Please wake me when this madness is over.
Vote NO on Trump/Scott ticket says
If Trump chooses Scott hell commit political sucide. I’ll vote for Hillary or Cruz before I vote for Trump/Scott ticket. This Governor is a disaster, proved to be dishonest and corrupt and I’ll be glad when his term is up!!!!
Flatsflyer says
This would be a dream ticket, two career criminals running for the highest offices. While Scott stole over a Billion from the public and government, Trump has stolen his multi Billions from people both in the US and around the world. Both have wives who would bring a level of trailer park trash to DC that we’ve never experienced.
What a laughing stock, one with no hair and one with fake hair, one with short fingers and one with no fingers. Another serious indication that the GOP has completely lost it’s mind, Baker Act these fools to protect the nation and the world.
Sherry says
WOW! Donald Trumps’ Tiny Fingers. . . you’ve hit the nail on the head! One dangerous racist, narcissistic megalomaniac partnering with a reprehensible, heartless Tea Party governor who has done nothing but drive Florida into the ground!
One good thing could possibly come out of their resounding defeat, and that is the complete and permanent destruction of horrific Rick Scott’s political career. What a happy day that would be for all Floridians!
Common Sense says
You mean that after all the a__ kissing Christie has done he may not get it? LOL.
Dave says
Well here is the deal, if Trump picks Scott, I will vote for any third party that is running.
Geezer says
Sherry, Trumps Tiny Fingers:
Trump-Scott would make for happy democrats come Election day.
Danny mac says
Quite literally the two worst people character and integrity wise in all of american politics
Palm Coast Guy says
@Danny mac & several others:
Is Trump even “in” American politics? He is not a politician and has never been a politician. If Marrisa Mayer was male, I’d bet she would top Trump’s list of potential running mates. Maybe Trump will eventually choose Timothy Koogle (white male, former president of Yahoo! who saw their stock go from $108 to $13) or Terry Semel (who was so bad he started Yahoo!’s rotating-door for CEOs). They’d be perfect for each other: controversy bound businessmen who have never held political office and have a history of destroying companies.
Freddy says
Trump will pick Rubio!
Dave says
Hey there Danny boy. I think Hillary rates pretty high up there on the lack of character and integrity in all of American politics. If you like a lair , vote for Hillary. For this election you have to vote for the best of the worst. But its not going to matter until America gets smart and puts a term limit on those in Congress like for 12 years or our nation will continue to fail and gain no respect back in the world. Presidents with a lack of backbone don’t help at all but make it worst..
David S says
WHAT?
Knightwatch says
I am speechless!!
YankeeExPat says
What No Sister Sarah ………Too Much Crazy Blather I Betcha!
confidential says
Just a very toxic mix…to say the least! Really forget about Medicare and SS then.
maggie says
If Donald Trump actually wants to win, he needs to stay far away from Sick Rott, and those other two monkeys as well.
But see, here’s the thing–Trump doesn’t actually want to win, so he’ll go with Scott, thereby assuring a Democratic victory. I will never believe this “candidacy” of his was about anything other than making Hillary Clinton look like a sane choice. Nobody thought Trump would be so popular–and NOBODY saw Sanders coming at all.
That’s right, call me a Conspiracy Theorist. I think Donald and BillnHill cooked this nonsense up over too many martinis one night. Call me whatever you want, it won’t be long until you can see it for yourself when Trump makes the idiotic blunder of picking one of these poison pills as his running mate..
And that’s really too bad, because Hillary would be a bigger disaster for this country than Trump would be. I’m looking forward to a contested Dem convention, though, because Bernie Sanders is not backing down or dropping out, and Hillary Clinton needs to be stopped before she makes the final ballot.