With the conclusion of Sunday’s Senate race recount, Governor Rick Scott emerged as the victor. This marks the second high-profile race that Democrats lost in the sunshine state after Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum conceded on Saturday to Governor-elect Ron DeSantis.
Senator Bill Nelson conceded in a letter, and President Trump tweeted that “From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great governor and will be even a greater senator in representing the people of Florida.”
Governor Scott commented on his win, saying that “I just spoke with Senator Bill Nelson, who graciously conceded, and I thanked him for his years of public service. This victory would not be possible without the hard work of so many people. Now the campaign truly is behind us, and that’s where we need to leave it. We must do what Americans have always done: come together for the good of our state and our country. My focus will not be on looking backward, but on doing exactly what I ran on: Making Washington Work. I know change is never popular in Washington and that I’m just one person – but we have to start somewhere. Over the past eight years, we brought great change to Florida. Now, we have the opportunity to do even more. Let’s get to work.”
In response to the loss, Terrie Rizzo, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, commented that “Senator Bill Nelson has led with integrity, humility, courage, and vision — always putting the best interests of Floridians first. From fighting for better schools and health care, to protecting our environment, Senator Nelson has always stood for what is right. Florida is better because of his leadership. We want to thank Senator Nelson for his years of service, and his leadership to our party. The sacrifices he made to serve this state, and our nation, will not be in vain.”