Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) won reelection for a second term on Nov. 5, defeating his Democratic challenger, former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, in a closely watched race. Scott held a significant lead over Mucarsel-Powell, with more than a million votes when the race was called at roughly 8:01 p.m. ET.
In 2018, Scott first won his Senate seat by a narrow margin of 10,000 votes over then-Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Recent polls indicated that Mucarsel-Powell was within striking distance of Scott, but Republicans in Florida currently have a voter registration advantage of over a million people compared to Democrats.
Scott, who served as Florida’s governor from 2011 to 2019, ran a successful campaign with a focus on key issues such as education, crime, and border security. Mucarsel-Powell, who represented Florida’s 26th congressional district from 2019 to 2021, campaigned on addressing inflation, rising living costs, and job opportunities.
Despite efforts by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to support Mucarsel-Powell, Scott’s victory solidifies Republican control in Florida. With the Florida Senate seat now secured for Republicans, attention shifts to other key Senate races in states like Montana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, which will play a crucial role in determining which party controls the U.S. Senate in 2025.
Former President Donald Trump was also declared the winner in Florida, leading Vice President Kamala Harris by over a million votes. This outcome further strengthens Republican presence in the state and sets the stage for the upcoming political landscape.
