Politics

Rick Scott Breaks With Trump Over Hurricane Comments

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Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott criticized President Donald Trump for his comments questioning the impact of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Scott, who is running for U.S. Senate, called out Trump on Twitter Thursday, saying he cannot agree with Trump’s earlier comments that “3000 people did not die” in Puerto Rico. Scott mentioned an independent study and also said he had “been to Puerto Rico 7 times & saw devastation firsthand.”

I disagree with @POTUS– an independent study said thousands were lost and Gov. Rosselló agreed. I’ve been to Puerto Rico 7 times & saw devastation firsthand. The loss of any life is tragic; the extent of lives lost as a result of Maria is heart wrenching. I’ll continue to help PR

— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) September 13, 2018

Scott has previously been steering away from fully embracing Trump’s endorsement for Senate. “The President and Governor Scott have worked well together to help advance important issues to Floridians, including keeping oil rigs off our coasts and repairing the federally-operated Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee, and the Governor will continue to work with our federal partners to secure real policy results like these to better our state,” the press secretary for Scott’s campaign told ABC News in a statement.

“We have to make sure that Rick Scott wins and wins big,” Trump told a crowd at a July rally in Florida. But Scott hasn’t really embraced the endorsement or used it to campaign.

Scott’s comments toward the president could impact Florida voters’ minds before the Nov. 6 midterm elections.

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