Rick Scott's MAGA momentum backfires in the Senate
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Senator Rick Scott speaks addressing critical issues surrounding the upcoming elections, election security, immigration, and border protection. Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) may be the MAGA media darling, but some of his colleagues are bristling at the public pressure on their secret voting process to elect Mitch McConnell's Senate Republican leader successor on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Senate GOP sources tell us Scott's weekend momentum — especially without an endorsement from President-elect Trump — is starting to backfire.
- Scott has his supporters, there's no question. But many senators wanted to avoid turning a secret ballot into a public spectacle, and feel bullied by the online chatter.
What we're hearing: It is "definitely backfiring on him. At this point I won't vote for him for anything ever," one Republican told Axios.
- Senate offices are dealing with a flood of trolling on social media from Scott allies while Scott campaigns for their votes, aides tell Axios.
- That's left many of them livid and frustrated. It could cost Scott persuadable votes, another GOP aide told us.
- Many of those aides blame Scott for the GOP's poor showing in the 2022 midterms, when he ran the NRSC.
The other side: "The organic outpouring of support from Republican voters for Sen. Rick Scott is seen as a testament to the overwhelming change Americans want to see in Washington following President-elect Trump's commanding win," according to a source familiar with Scott's bid for leader.
- The source noted that Scott has refused to attack his leader rivals Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.).
- Scott is also continuing to reach out to colleagues and build a positive case for his leadership, a source close to him said.
How it works: After voting Wednesday morning, if none of the three candidates win a majority of the Senate Republican conference, the candidate with the lowest vote total is removed and the senators will vote again.
- If anyone wanted to mount a last-minute bid, they would have to do so before the first ballot.
- Such rumors have long circulated around Sens. John Barrasso, who is running for whip, and Steve Daines, who ran the NRSC this past cycle and has said he will not run for leader.
The bottom line: Scott won 10 votes when he ran against McConnell in 2022.
- If Scott is knocked out after the first round of voting, the big question in the Senate right now is whether his supporters start acting as kingmakers.
- Some sources say Cornyn has been more direct about his willingness to make the kind of changes conservatives want, backing the idea of leader term limits. But Thune is also well-liked and could pull Scott voters, too.
