Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., will face Democratic former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in November after they prevailed in their primaries Tuesday, NBC News projects.
Scott and Mucarsel-Powell were long considered the front-runners for their parties’ nominations, and they have already been targeting each other on the campaign trail.
Democrats are looking to go on offense as they defend their narrow Senate majority, pointing to seats in the red-leaning states of Florida and Texas as potential pickup opportunities. Scott won his first term in 2018 by defeating Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by just over 10,000 votes.
But since then, Florida has only shifted further to the right. Donald Trump won it by 3 points in 2020, and GOP Sen. Marco Rubio won re-election by 16 points in 2022. Republicans have also surpassed Democrats in voter registration.
Democrats have not yet devoted significant resources to Florida, prioritizing seats that they are defending in Montana and Ohio, which Trump won in 2020, and perennial battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.
While Democrats have already reserved nearly $340 million in airtime beginning after Labor Day and running through Election Day, none of it has been devoted to Florida, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has announced a “seven-figure” investment in digital ads in the state. A super PAC supporting Scott has reserved $3.2 million in the race.
Scott has a financial advantage, having raised $30 million so far, including a $12 million personal loan. He has already spent millions, and he ended July with $3.9 million in his account, according to campaign finance filings.
Mucarsel-Powell, who served one term in Congress before she lost re-election in 2020, has raised $14.4 million, and she ended July with $4.4 million on hand.
Democrats are counting on the issue of reproductive rights to drive turnout across the country and in Florida, where abortions are prohibited after six weeks of pregnancy. Florida’s ballot will also feature a proposed amendment to codify abortion protections in the state constitution.
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