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.
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.
