Rick Scott wins Florida Senate race against Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, CBS News projects. See 2024 live results.
MIAMI - Republican Sen. Rick Scott will win a second term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in a closely watched race in the 2024 election, CBS News projects.
The 71-year-old former governor campaigned on a platform of low taxes, reduced federal spending and strong border security, while Mucarsel-Powell, 53, focused on healthcare, immigration reform and environmental protections.
Scott first became a U.S. senator six years ago with 50% of the vote, defeating Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.
Scott addressed supporters Tuesday night in Bonita Springs, Florida.
"Together, we get to celebrate a great victory tonight. There's a lot of people to thank. There's a lot of people who knocked on doors, made phone calls, did text. We did. We had a lot of people who just busted their butts," Scott said.
"Every person in this room has a dream. My dream is that every child, I don't care the color of their skin, their religion, where they were born, has a chance to live the dream of this country, if that's true, it's a hell of a country, and that's what we're going to do. But our work is not done. Next week, we have another election, Senate Republican leader," he added.
Mucarsel-Powell released the following statement about the election results:
"The results tonight were not what we had hoped for. I want to thank all the volunteers who knocked on doors, called, texted, worked polling sites, and put their heart into this campaign. I want to thank my family who have always been my biggest supporters, and who I couldn't have done this without. So many believed what is possible in Florida when we stand up together, and while we lost this battle, our fight is just getting started. Today, millions of Floridians came out to say no más to Rick Scott, and to anyone who thinks this Latina is giving up on Florida, you haven't been paying attention."
The Republican candidate
Scott, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, has framed his campaign as a defense against "socialist" policies he attributes to Democrats like Mucarsel-Powell.
During the campaign, Scott accused Mucarsel-Powell of supporting open borders and policies that hurt small businesses, reinforcing his appeal to conservative voters by positioning himself as a protector of individual freedoms and a critic of federal overreach.
One of Scott's signature proposals, his "Rescue America" plan, a 12-point platform aimed at curbing "woke" progressive policies, became the subject of controversy when Democrats accused Scott of intending to cut Medicare and Social Security, prompting revisions in early 2023.
Before Scott was first elected to the Senate, he served two terms as Florida's governor and was a healthcare executive. His platform has focused on low taxes, reduced federal spending and stricter border security.
The Democratic candidate
Mucarsel-Powell has presented a progressive platform. A former U.S. representative who immigrated from Ecuador to the U.S. as a 14 year old, she made immigration reform and healthcare access main issues in her campaign.
Scott has labeled Mucarsel-Powell a "radical socialist," while she has called him an "extremist" with a track record of undermining women's rights, seniors' benefits and opportunities for working families.
In her attacks on Scott, Mucarsel-Powell has highlighted his past as a healthcare executive, particularly his company's involvement in a Medicare fraud scandal. She has also criticized Scott's environmental policies during his time as governor, linking them to water quality issues and insufficient climate action.
Her platform has focused on reducing the cost of living, protecting Social Security and Medicare and addressing climate change and water quality. She has also been a defender of women's reproductive rights, criticizing Scott's record on those issues.