Tampa Bay Times Editorial: Scott “mischaracterizing himself as an outsideru2026 Republican is a two-term governor with a clear record u2014 and it isn’t good”

In response to Rick Scott going on TV with his first ad of the campaign, Florida Democratic Party spokesman Sebastian Kitchen released the following statement:

“No amount of money can erase the fact that Rick Scott is a self-serving politician who has always put his own political interests over what’s best for Florida. Florida newspapers are already calling Scott out for his dishonest message, and this ad is just another reminder that Scott will say and do anything to help himself – which is exactly why Floridians don’t trust him to look out for us.”

Here’s what Florida newspapers said about Scott’s dishonest message:

Tampa Bay Times Editorial: 5 key issues where Scott, Nelson differ in Senate race

• “Gov. Rick Scott kicked off his U.S. Senate campaign last week by reciting tired lines about career politicians and mischaracterizing himself as an outsider. That pitch may have worked during the tea party wave eight years ago, but now the Republican is a two-term governor with a clear record — and it isn’t good.”

The Daytona Beach News-Journal Column: Florida has heard this before from Rick Scott

• Scott “rails against career politicians, but seems to hope no one will notice that he will become of those if he wins this election.”
• “He will have served eight years as governor, and then at least six more as a senator. Fourteen years sounds like a career to me.”

Tampa Bay Times Column: Scott, the ‘outsider’ who has been governor for 8 years, doth protest too much

• “Rick Scott is indeed a career politician. He’s already proven his great skill at the craft: shameless prevarication.”
• “Should Scott arrive in the Senate you better believe he will knock over senior citizens, kick puppies out of the way and brush aside toddlers if they remotely come to represent any threat to holding on to the seat so he can continue to be miserable in Washington.”
• “Rick Scott wants to hold a political post in the most political city in the world, but claims he is above the political demands of the position. Shouldn’t that alone be a disqualifying factor for the job?”