Florida Navy vet mounts bid to defeat Rick Scott

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Phil Ehr, a 26-year U.S. Navy veteran who mounted an unsuccessful bid to oust Rep. Matt Gaetz, officially entered the race for Senate against incumbent GOP Sen. Rick Scott on Monday.

Ehr took direct aim at Scott in his statement — and in a two-minute-plus introduction video that also highlighted his military career and recent work in Ukraine — by hitting him over his support of former President Trump as well as mentioning that Scott oversaw a company that was subjected to a then-record $1.7 billion fine for Medicare fraud.

“I’ve spent my life on the front lines fighting for American values and protecting our nation against extremism, and I’m running for Senate against Rick Scott to fulfill that same mission,” Ehr said in his statement. “Extreme politicians like Rick Scott only care about themselves and their ultra rich donors and friends, not middle class Floridians, which is why Scott tried to destroy bedrock programs like Social Security and Medicare that millions of Floridians rely on.”

Ehr launched his campaign even though Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have been urging former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who represented parts of south Florida, to challenge Scott.

Scott, a two-term Florida governor who narrowly ousted incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson in 2018, is a multimillionaire who can pour millions of his own money into the race. But he has also never run during a presidential election year.

“It says everything you need to know about Chuck Schumer and the Florida Dems’ recruitment efforts that the best they can do is a guy who lost a congressional race two cycles ago by 30 points,” said Priscilla Ivasco, Scott's communications director.

Ehr, who recently delivered medicine and supplies in Ukraine, lost to Gaetz in a Florida Republican stronghold by about 30 points in 2020. Ehr currently serves as president of the anti-disinformation group the George Washington Initiative. During his House campaign, he raised over $2 million.

After getting blasted by both Democrats and Republicans for the proposal, Scott earlier this year backtracked and said that his idea would not affect either program.

Others who are considering a bid to challenge Scott include state Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). Democratic Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins is also weighing a Senate bid and recently told POLITICO that she’s convinced she can win a race against Scott “and rid Florida of corrupt career politicians.” Former Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), who last year lost a bid for a central Florida congressional seat, also filed paperwork to run for Senate.

Jenkins said she doesn’t want to be in a crowded Democratic primary but added she and others need to make a decision soon.

“The goal is to defeat Rick Scott, and restore some sanity to Washington and I think we all recognize that a divisive primary is not helpful to reach that goal,” Jenkins said. “That said, time is short. None of us have ran statewide, and it takes a long time to build that kind of campaign and raise the resources necessary so the time to act for anyone of is very soon.”