“Danced Around Questions,” “High Wire Act,” & “Headaches:” NRSC Chair Scott On Defense

NRSC Chair Sen. Rick Scott was on defense in a series of TV interviews that highlighted the challenges facing Republican candidates across the Senate battlegrounds one year out from the 2022 election. 

Scott was confronted about GOP candidates like Sean Parnell who are facing major scandals, Trump’s false election fraud claims, and “how Trump endorsements complicate Scott’s efforts with the National Republican Senatorial Committee.” See for yourself:

Washington Post: NRSC chair Rick Scott declines to say if Trump-backed Senate hopeful accused of strangling wife is right candidate for the job

• Sen. Rick Scott, who heads the group that works to elect Senate Republicans, declined Monday to say whether Sean Parnell, a GOP hopeful in Pennsylvania who has been accused of strangling his wife and abusing his children, is the right candidate for the job.”

HuffPost: Chuck Todd Holds Sen. Rick Scott’s Feet To The Fire Over Trump’s Election Lies

• The senator danced around questions about Trump’s ongoing efforts to undermine democracy.

• The balancing act Scott faces between running an operation to take back the Senate and placating the former President and his base was illustrated most clearly when Scott was confronted with NBC polling that said just 22% of Republicans believe President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.

• Scott gave Trump an award months back, one invented by the NRSC to honor the former President. But in an ironic twist, it’s Trump that keeps presenting Scott with headaches, as this segment kept coming back to the former President.

Florida Politics: Donald Trump’s shadow looms over Rick Scott in Meet the Press interview

• Interviewer Chuck Todd focused much of the interview on former President Donald Trump, including how Trump endorsements complicate Scott’s efforts with the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2022. Scott also was compelled to say that Biden in fact was the legitimately elected President of the United States, a position that does not square with that of Trump, who continues to contend the election was somehow stolen.

POLITICO FL: Rick Scott’s high-wire act

• The wire — Sen. Rick Scott — who is in charge of getting Republicans elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 — continues to walk that fine line when it comes to dealing with a certain Florida resident.”

• Why ask me? — Trump has continued to press baseless allegations about 2020 election fraud. It’s worth noting that Scott himself voted against certifying the results from Pennsylvania after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. But when pressed about how Trump has refused to concede last year’s election, Scott told NBC’s Chuck Todd “I think you would have to ask Donald Trump.” He also danced around a question about why so few Republicans believe that Biden was legitimately elected.

• On the other hand — It was a fascinating back and forth because as Scott makes these comments, he and other Republicans continue to rely on Trump to help with their fundraising efforts aimed at taking back the Senate. Scott also acknowledged that “I think you’d be foolish not to want and accept Donald Trump’s endorsement” but then added “you’re going to win not because somebody endorses you.”

• Disconnect? — Then there was this comment during the interview: “Democrats are focused on Donald Trump. Americans are focused on the future.” Scott then added: “We’re going to win in ’22 because we’re going to talk about issues. We’re not going to talk about the last election.” For what it’s worth: Back in Scott’s home state, local GOP groups are calling for an audit and recount of the 2020 election. Trump ally Roger Stone is pressing the issue with Ron DeSantis and went on television in Miami to raise questions about the last election. And the former president keeps pressing the issue in comments issued from Mar-a-Lago. So it goes.

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