‘Spend whatever it takes:’ Florida U.S. Senator Rick Scott facing deep-pocketed primary challenger

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Florida Governor and current U.S. Senator Rick Scott will have some competition in his 2024 reelection bid, and that candidate has deep pockets.

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Keith Gross is an attorney, businessman, and former member of the National Guard with a big bank account and a desire to see change in Washington DC.

“Seeing how far off track our nation has gotten and seeing American people pay the price for ineffective politicians in Washington,” said Gross.

One of those ineffective politicians Gross argued, is Florida’s Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott.

“He hasn’t done anything to get our spending under control, our southern border is not secured, we’ve got a runaway Biden administration that does whatever it wants to,” said Gross.

Gross is challenging Scott in the Republican Primary.

Scott hasn’t faced a serious Primary opponent since his first gubernatorial race in 2010.

Gross argued that’s largely due to Scott’s vast wealth and willingness to fund his campaigns, but Gross contends his pockets are roughly as deep and he’s willing to spend big too.

“I think everything I have I owe to America and hard work and I’m willing to spend whatever it takes to revive the American dream and protect our freedoms,” said Gross.

On policy, Gross said he supports leaving issues like abortion, marijuana, and hot-button culture wars to the states.

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Although Gross mounted two races for Georgia House seats as a Democrat in the past, he said he’s voted Republican since 2016.

Gross argued he has less baggage than Scott and stands a better chance at beating the Democratic nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell next November.

“Any time you’re running in a General Election against somebody who has a ton of baggage, who has done many things wrong throughout his career in politics and in business, the Democrats are gonna have a much easier time attacking someone like Rick than they would me. I’ve had a successful business career, I’ve never been in politics and that’s what we need to be sending to Washington,” said Gross.

The Scott campaign sent Action News Jax this statement on why Republican voters should choose the current Senator in the Primary over Gross:

“Senator Scott is fighting to rescue the country, reign in outrageous spending, and make Washington work for Floridians and that is why next November Floridians will elect Senator Scott once again and reject the Democrats’ radical agenda,” said a Scott campaign spokesperson.

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