U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said Thursday he was endorsing former President Donald Trump for president, adding yet another blow to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign just two days before Florida Republicans gather in Kissimmee for their annual statewide meeting.
Scott, one of Trump’s earliest mainstream supporters in 2016, told NBC News, “When you look at what is going on in the world today, this would not be happening if he was the president.”
“I think we all should come together and do everything we can to help him win the nomination so we can beat Biden,” Scott said.
Scott told NBC he last talked to DeSantis in August about Hurricane Idalia’s impact on the state. “He has never talked to me about an endorsement,” he added.
Scott, who was DeSantis’ predecessor in the governor’s mansion and had long been considered a potential 2024 candidate himself, has had a touchy relationship with DeSantis dating back to the often-awkward transition period in 2018.
Scott made more than 70 last-minute appointments after staying to finish out his term despite the new Senate being sworn in without him, and the two camps battled over who would appoint state Supreme Court justices.
He is just the latest member of Florida’s GOP congressional delegation to back Trump over DeSantis, including nearly every House member except for U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, DeSantis’ former secretary of state.
It’s DeSantis vs. Trump at Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee this weekend
Scott is scheduled to appear at the Freedom Summit at the Gaylord Palms Resort on Saturday along with every major presidential candidate including DeSantis and Trump, who has the prime speaking spot at 6 p.m. DeSantis is set to speak at 1:30 p.m. in between several discussion forums.
The event comes as DeSantis dips even further in the polls in many key states. In Iowa, where his campaign has shifted funds and staffers, a poll released Monday showed him losing ground to both Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
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