U.S. Sen. Rick Scott doesn’t think a favorable map will guarantee Republican gains in the state’s 28-member congressional delegation this year.
While redistricting is a factor, the Naples Republican and former Governor says candidate quality and messaging will determine the ultimate outcome.
“Just because they say it’s going to pick up seats, you know how you win, you win by getting votes,” Scott said on Newsmax.
“When I ran in 2010, I had to get 500,000 Democrat votes to win, and I did, because I talked about the issues important to people. So these districts are very important, but the most important thing is great candidates with a great message, and they go out there and bust their butts to win these elections.”
The map is expected to halve the Democratic seats from eight to four. But despite the favorable draw, Scott believes winning comes down to hard work.
“In the end, you have got to go win your races. It’s not going to be because of some district set up to win your races. It’s going to be because you have a better message, and you bust your butt to do it.”
Florida’s redistricting is just part of a larger puzzle that will influence the composition of the House.
Aggressive redistricting efforts in favor of Democrats in Florida and California will be offset to some degree by southern states like Florida drafting new maps to eliminate minority-access districts.
Additionally, Midterm Elections are often seen as a referendum on the executive branch, and voter sentiment could affect how far the House swings after November.
