Endorsement: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for U.S. Senate

Florida voters are going to the polls on Tuesday, and they get to choose whether to keep U.S. Senator Rick Scott or choose a better way. Rick Scott has served in the Senate since 2019. He defeated former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson by just 10,000 votes in 2018. That's a real close race. Scott previously as Governor of Florida from 2011-2019. He is being challenged by former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who represented Miami in Congress from 2019-2021. Mucarsel-Powell was the first South American immigrant elected to congress. We endorse Mucarsel-Powell for election to the U.S. Senate.

Running on lowering costs, protecting seniors and social security, preventing gun violence, and defending democracy, she is focused on the priorities that most Floridians care about. In contrast, Scott is focused on taking us back to the past. Scott has embraced Donald Trump, the January 6th insurrection, the big lie, and has threatened to "sunset social security". That's interesting behavior for a man who just barely squeaked out a win just six years ago. We also can't forget that Scott pleaded the fifth 75 times as CEO of Columbia Health, after being caught committing fraud and overbilling Medicare. No wonder he wants top sunset these programs.

"Floridians deserve lower costs on everyday goods, affordable housing, and the protection of their fundamental freedoms – but for 14 years Rick Scott has refused to deliver on any of these basic needs." -Debbie Mucarsel-Powell

Let's also not forget that Scott is responsible for banning the term "climate change" from all Florida statutes. This is monstrous. We're a state that is the ground zero for sea level rise, and we're already seeing the implications of climate change in coastal cities. Take Fort Lauderdale for example, where in 2023 a once-in-a-thousand-year storm swept through the city destroying homes and upending lives. Some of that is infrastructure, the rest is climate change. Instead of focusing on your issues, Scott is focusing on culture wars, and Donald Trump's issues. He has lost his right to represent the sunshine state, and you should vote to remove him from office on November 5th.

Mucarsel-Powell is a breath of fresh air for a state that has been under the thumb of authoritarians and demagogues for far too long. We need balance in the U.S. Senate, and leaders focused on you. In Congress, she wrote the bill that expanded seniors’ Medicare Advantage coverage, and she secured $200 million for Everglades restoration. Her track record speaks for itself. “As I continue to travel the state, I’m hearing from Democrats, independents, and Republicans who are all ready to elect a leader who will fight for everyone. Everyday families have been forced to bear the costs of his partisan games for far too long" Mucarsel-Powell told supporters at a Jacksonville rally this week. "Floridians deserve lower costs on everyday goods, affordable housing, and the protection of their fundamental freedoms – but for 14 years Rick Scott has refused to deliver on any of these basic needs."

That's exactly true. With climate change, gun violence, cost of living, and inflation facing Floridians, we desperately need to turn the page on career politicians and the self-interested. We need less rich men who only care about themselves and their bottom line, and more hard working women who will fight for the average Floridian. That person is Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. If you want more of the same, keep Rick Scott in office.

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Endorsements are the viewpoints of The County's Editorial Board members Elijah Manley, and Luc Saint-Genies. Endorsement may or may not reflect the personal beliefs and preferences of individual members of the Editorial Board, or The County's writers.