Rick Scott, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell win, set up Senate showdown

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., easily fended off a pair of primary challengers Tuesday, clearing the way for a general election contest with former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., who also coasted to victory in the Democratic primary.

Scott, who is seeking his second term as senator, took 84% of the vote in early returns according to state data, while attorney Keith Gross garnered 9% and former Walt Disney World performer and actor John Columbus received 6%.

"Thank you Florida! Looking forward to a big win in November," Scott posted on X , he social media site formerly named Twitter, shortly after the early and mail votes were posted.

Gross raised and spent $2.5 million as of July 31, a tab which included ads on X. The ads bashed Scott for voting to approve budgets that increased the deficit. He also criticized Scott for signing a bill into law in 2018 while Scott was Governor that included gun control measures following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre.

Scott, though, vastly outspent Gross, dropping $27.7 million on the race. Columbus raised and spent $25,000.

In the Democratic contest, Mucarsel-Powell received 69% of votes, while Stanley Campbell finished second with 19%. Two others, Brian Rush and Rod Joseph, garnered 7% and 5%, respectively.

"Florida, thank you so much for this honor. For the last year, we have fought day in and day out to make the case for our campaign," Mucarsel-Powell said in a released statement. "This victory isn't just mine – it belongs to so many who have stepped up to say that we deserve better here in Florida."

Mucarsel-Powell was born in Ecuador and emigrated to the U.S., later becoming an administrator at Florida International University. She has had a mixed electoral record, losing a state Senate race in 2016 before winning a U.S. House seat in 2018. But she served just one term before being defeated by U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Miami.

The Democratic establishment supported Mucarsel-Powell, which chagrined Campbell, a Black former U.S. Navy pilot who had the support of the Democratic Black caucus of Florida. Campbell spent nearly $1 million on the primary, but experienced turmoil when campaign manager Millie Raphael quit in July.

So far, Mucarsel-Powell has spent $10 million and has $3.3 million cash on hand heading into the general election. Scott also has $3.3 million in his campaign war chest.

The primary winners wasted no time attacking each other following their victories Tuesday evening, giving a preview of the general election. Scott slammed Mucarsel-Powell's immigration policies and called her a socialist.

"Debbie Mucarsel-Powell has supported an open border, allowing criminals and drugs to flood our communities. She wants to give them amnesty and citizenship and let them vote in our elections," Scott said in a released statement. "Her record is clear, she is a socialist through and through."

Mucarsel-Powell dubbed Scott an extremist who is "robbing us of these very freedoms and opportunities. Rick Scott tried to end Social Security and Medicare as we know them, supports a national ban on abortion, and wants to raise taxes on the middle class."

Scott is focusing on more than just the challenge from Mucarsel-Powell. He’s also vying to lead Senate Republicans if he wins in November and needs to win support within the GOP caucus. In that contest he’s facing U.S. Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Rick Scott, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell win, set up Senate showdown