Author Stephen King accused Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott of essentially buying his Senate seat by spending $160 million of his own money on his 2018 Senate campaign. Scott, who raised $85 million for his campaign during the 2018 Senate elections, spent $63 million from his personal wealth on his bid and won by a narrow margin of 0.12 percent. Between 2019 and 2024, Scott’s campaign committee raised nearly $30 million, with him self-financing nearly 46 percent of it. Despite King’s accusation, it is unclear where he got the $160 million figure from.
Scott has continued to spend heavily on his 2024 campaign, with his team budgeting $700,000 per week in April to reach Hispanic voters in Florida through various ad campaigns. However, polls have shown mixed views on the incumbent senator, with 35 percent of Floridians approving of him and 49 percent having an unfavorable view. Despite this, Scott had a 4 point lead over his opponent, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, with 47 percent of respondents supporting him in a poll conducted by Florida Atlantic University PolCom Lab/Mainstreet Research.
King, known for criticizing Republican lawmakers, has frequently taken aim at Scott. In May, he pointed out the irony of Scott, who is worth at least $250 million, running ads against socialism while portraying himself as a man of the people. The feud between King and Scott continues as Scott faces re-election for his Senate seat. The accusations of buying his Senate seat through excessive campaign spending have sparked controversy and debate among voters in Florida.
Despite Scott’s spending and the mixed public opinion, he continues to maintain support among Republican voters, with a 59 percent approval rating. A spokesperson for Scott has defended him by pointing out that he is uniting Republicans across the state and emphasizing that a significant portion of Democrat voters do not want a socialist representing them in Washington. The campaign between Scott and Mucarsel-Powell remains heated as Election Day approaches, with Scott in the lead according to recent polls. The ongoing battle for the Florida Senate seat highlights the political divisions and controversies surrounding campaign finance in the state.
