MIAMI – Republican Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott celebrated a victory over his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, on Tuesday night in Bonita Springs with more than 56% of the votes.
During his victory speech at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Scott’s supporters cheered when he said he even won Miami-Dade County, where Mucarsel-Powell is from. He also announced his next goal is to replace U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is retiring.
“Next week, we have another election: Senate Republican leader,” Scott said.
Watch Scott’s victory speech
Scott, 71, a climate change denier, ran for a second term in the U.S. Senate as an ally of former President Donald Trump. The former Florida governor from 2011 to 2019 voted to decertify the 2020 presidential election results in Pennsylvania and released the controversial “Plan to Rescue America” in 2022.
Mucarsel-Powell, 53, born in Ecuador, vied to become the first Latina from Florida to serve in the U.S. Senate as an advocate of fiscal conservatism. Scott, a two-term Florida governor, defeated her with campaign ads accusing her of supporting socialism.
Mucarsel-Powell lost her former House seat to former Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez in 2020. She supports the U.S. embargo on Cuba, investments in climate-resilient infrastructure, and abortion rights up to viability. She met with voters on Tuesday afternoon in Doral.
There are about a million more Republican registered voters in Florida than Democrats. According to the Florida Division of Elections, more than 13.8 million registered voters, including about 5.45 million Republicans, over 4.4 million Democrats, 3.58 without affiliation, and 404,890. Mucarsel-Powell thanked her supporters at the JW Marriott Miami in Brickell.
“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,” Mucarsel-Powell said. “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.”
Republicans Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez were also re-elected Tuesday.
Watch Mucarsel-Powell’s speech
VIEW ALL RESULTS: South Florida General Election Results for Nov. 5, 2024
Votes
%
Rick Scott*(R)
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell(D)
(5,575 / 5,631)
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