Florida Sen. Rick Scott defeats Democratic former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
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Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) comfortably staved off a challenge from former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell to secure his reelection, per AP.
Why it matters: Scott's victory further solidifies Florida's status as a red state — dashing local Democrats' insistence that the party remains relevant.
- Once known as a battleground, a Democrat last won a statewide race in Florida in 2018.
Between the lines: Scott was first elected to the Senate in 2018 by the closest margin in state history.
- Democrats saw Scott as vulnerable, in part because of his "rescue America" plan, which garnered widespread criticism for its proposal to sunset all federal programs, like Medicare and Social Security.
Follow the money: Mucarsel-Powell, a one-term congresswoman from Miami-Dade County, struggled with a cash disadvantage despite an 11th-hour investment from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in September.
- Scott, who served as Florida's governor for two terms, funneled millions of his wealth into the race. He's considered the wealthiest member of the U.S. Senate.
- As of mid-October, about $55 million had been spent on the general election by both sides, per political ad tracker AdImpact.
Zoom in: Florida Democrats tried to frame the campaign around reproductive health care in the same year that an abortion rights referendum appeared on the state's ballots.