Rick Scott Leans On Right-Wing Bigot In Campaign To Become Senate GOP Leader
HuffPost
Scott wants to be Senate GOP leader. Apparently that involves cozying up to a racist activist who called the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks “an inside job.”
A few years ago, the anti-Muslim bigot and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer was so politically toxic that after she took a photo with Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Scott’s spokesperson claimed “the Senator had never met this person, that I’m aware of.”
On Tuesday, things were different. In an interview on Loomer’s podcast, Scott — who is locked in a relatively close reelection race with former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and is trying to become the next Senate Republican leader — thanked the far-right activist and Donald Trump sycophant for “all your help in helping me win my election” for a second term as Florida’s governor in 2014. And Loomer showed off what she said were letters from Scott, including a letter he sent her as governor.
“To this day, from when I was a college student all the way to now, 12 years later, every time you see me, you know my name,” Loomer gushed, showing off what she said was a 2014 letter from Scott, apparently with her college address on it, and then saying she’d “saved every single note that you ever sent to me — because I really cherish these letters, Sen. Scott.”
“I’m very appreciative. I’ve been blessed,” Scott replied. “I’ve gotten to meet wonderful people and work with wonderful people. Congratulations on all your success.”
Loomer on Wednesday called Scott “the best candidate to be our next [Senate GOP] leader.” Spokespeople for the senator did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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