MIAMI – The Florida Senate racepitting incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Scott against Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell has drawn national attention. The outcome of the 2024 election could have far-reaching implications for control of the upper chamber.

Both Senate candidates offer completely different visions: The 71-year-old Scott is committed to conservative economic policies Mucarsel Powell53, advocates for health care reform and environmental protection.

The Florida race for the U.S. Senate seat is one of 34 Senate races in the 2024 election.

The Republican candidate

Scott, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, has portrayed his campaign as a defense against the “socialist” policies he attributes to Democrats like Mucarsel-Powell.

During the campaign, Scott accused Mucarsel-Powell of supporting open borders and policies that hurt small businesses, and increased his appeal to conservative voters by positioning himself as a protector of individual freedoms and a critic of federal overreach.

One of Scott’s key proposals, his “Rescue America” ​​plan, a 12-point platform to curb “woke” progressive politics, became the subject of controversy when Democrats accused Scott of wanting to cut Medicare and Social Security, which began led to revisions in 2023.

Before Scott was first elected to the Senate, he served two terms as governor of Florida and worked in health care. His program focused on low taxes, reduced federal spending and tighter border security.

The Democratic candidate

Mucarsel-Powell presented a progressive platform. A former U.S. representative who immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador as a 14-year-old, she made immigration reform and access to health care key issues in her campaign.

Scott called Mucarsel-Powell a “radical socialist,” while she called him an “extremist” with a record of undermining women’s rights, senior benefits and opportunities for working families.

In her attacks on Scott, Mucarsel-Powell has highlighted his past as a health care executive, particularly his company’s involvement in a Medicare fraud scandal. She has also criticized Scott’s environmental policies during his time as governor, linking them to water quality problems and inadequate climate action.

The focus of their platform is on reducing the cost of living, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and combating climate change and water quality. She was also an advocate for women’s reproductive rights and criticized Scott’s conduct on these issues.