- December 24, 2024
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U.S. Sen. Rick Scott held a rally at Ormond Garage in Ormond Beach on Tuesday, Oct. 29, to encourage Republicans to vote in the upcoming election.
Scott, who is running for reelection against Democratic opponent and former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, touted a good statewide Republican voter turnout so far — in Volusia, over 78,000 Republican voters have cast their ballots compared to almost 50,000 Democrats, as of Tuesday mid-afternoon — and advocated for a party win on all elections.
"This is a team event," Scott said. "So we need to make sure Donald Trump wins. We need to make sure every Republican wins across the state."
Scott's campaign stop was attended by local officials, including Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, Vice Mayor Harold Briley and Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood, and state representatives such as Rep. Tom Leek, Rep. Chase Tramont and Sen. Tom Wright.
Partington, who is running for Florida House District 28 as a Republican, said it was an honor and privilege to welcome Scott to the community.
"We're going to have a record vote," Partington said. "It's going to be fantastic and we've got a week left to make it happen."
The message to get out and vote continued among all the speakers, including Leek who said Scott, a former Florida governor, has stood by him in previous elections; he said it's time to do the same.
"Now is the time for us to fight for all Republicans on the ballot," Leek said. "And now is the time for us to fight to take back the White House and return it to Republican control."
Chitwood also endorsed Scott, calling him a "friend to all public safety and a friend to this community."
"The man is better than his word," the sheriff said. "Whenever anything happens in Volusia County, that 239 area code pops up and I know it's our senator calling to check on my deputies who may have been injured, a police officer who may have been injured — some major crime may have occurred, a storm, and that's not an act. That comes from the man's heart."
Scott called for change, citing inflation, open borders and employment as reasons.
"We know the world's on fire, so this has got to change," Scott said. "It's got to change for all of our families. We all love our families. We want our families to prosper. The only way we're going to do it is by electing Republicans."
In a press release Tuesday, Scott's opponent Mucarsel-Powell noted that the Florida Senate race continues to be "a margin-of-error race," and her campaign said Scott's reelection would be "disastrous for Floridians."
"For 14 years, Floridians have had to endure Rick Scott’s extremism and attacks on our freedoms and opportunities,” Mucarsel-Powell said in a press release. “It ends in just 7 days."