Florida Republicans are criticizing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s multimillion-dollar ad campaign for Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, calling it ineffective and relying too heavily on out-of-state money.
Florida Republicans are denouncing the Democratic Party’s multimillion-dollar ad campaign in the state’s Senate race, calling it ineffective and redundant after the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) announced its support for Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.
In a statement, Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power argued that Democrats are “repeating past strategies” by relying heavily on out-of-state financial resources, which he claims failed to sway Florida voters in the 2020 and 2022 elections.
“Senator Rick Scott has delivered for Floridians time and time again,” Power said. “This latest attempt by national Democrats to funnel millions of out-of-state dollars into Florida will be as unsuccessful as the last two.”
Power also criticized Mucarsel-Powell, a former U.S. representative for Florida’s 26th congressional district, describing her as “disconnected” from Florida voters. He suggested her recognition is limited to urban areas, contrasting this with Scott’s — who visited all 67 counties during his time in public office — statewide presence.
The DSCC’s ad blitz is part of a broader national effort by Democrats to target key Republican-held Senate seats, including Scott’s in Florida and Senator Ted Cruz’s in Texas. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Senator Gary Peters noted the national scale of the strategy, citing what he called the “vulnerable standings” of Scott and Cruz in their respective states.
The Democratic group last week committed millions of dollars to television ads focusing on what they describe as Scott’s “unpopular” record among voters. Recent polling from the Independent Center shows a close race, with Scott at 46 percent support compared to Mucarsel-Powell’s 44 percent, with 10 percent of voters still undecided.
The new funding comes on the heels of recent polling that signals increasing challenges for Democrats in Montana’s Senate race between incumbent Jon Tester and Republican Tim Sheehy. A Napolitan News survey published this month showed Sheehy leading by seven points, a notable shift from earlier polls where Tester held a slight edge.
“Democrats have strong candidates running effective campaigns in both states, and as we intensify our communications against Sens. Cruz and Scott, we will crystallize the case against them,” Peters added.
The DSCC also hinted at additional investments in the Florida Senate race as the election nears. The ad campaign supplements a previously announced $25 million voter outreach initiative in 10 states, including Florida, aimed at flipping key Senate seats in favor of the Democrats.
Republicans, however, remain confident in their ability to fend off the ramped-up challenge, with Power contending that the influx of campaign funds from Democratic strongholds such as New York and California will not resonate with Florida voters.
“No amount of New York and California out-of-state money will be able to cover for the fact that Mucarsel-Powell is unknown in many of Florida’s counties,” Power said. “Floridians know the tremendous leadership they have in Senator Rick Scott and their Republican leadership, and they will not trade it for a failed, out-of-touch career politician like Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.”
The former congresswoman, who served from 2019 to 2021, has focused her campaign on attacking Scott’s record on reproductive rights and fiscal policies, which Democrats argue makes him susceptible in the upcoming election.