Florida Gov. Rick Scott formally announced his decision to run for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson.
Floridians have long anticipated that Scott will enter the Senate race, which is likely one of most expensive races in the 2018 midterm election.
In a video posted on social media, Scott said, “Some say as governor, I have never fit in or played by the political rules in Tallahassee. Well that’s true. And I never planned to fit in.”
“I won’t fit in in Washington, either. It’s time to shake the place up. We don’t need another politician in Washington. It’s full of politicians, and that’s why it is broken.”
In the video, Scott stated the he is focused on creating jobs because he grew up poor. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, who has a sixth grade education and struggled to find work. They lived in public housing and move around a lot.
He added, “The deck was stacked against me, but I had two things going for me—my mom and this country. My mom worked multiple jobs. She made me into a hard worker and she fought for me. And even though I grew up poor, I tell people I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth. You know why, because I grew up in America—the land of opportunity.”
