U.S. Senator Rick Scott has secured the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business for his re-election campaign, as the organization lauded his support for the small business sector.

U.S. Senator Rick Scott has secured the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for his re-election campaign.

Announced at a campaign event in Largo, Florida, the endorsement highlighted Scott’s support for small businesses, while Bill Herrle, NFIB’s Florida Executive Director, lauded Scott’s 100 percent voting record with the NFIB and his co-sponsorship of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act.

“There is no question that Senator Scott has been a staunch ally of small businesses in our state,” Herrle said. “As a former Florida governor, he has a strong record of advocating for pro-growth policies and has continued his commitment to those policies as a U.S. Senator. Senator Scott has earned a 100 percent NFIB voting record for this session and supports important legislation.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Sussin, NFIB’s Senior National Political Director, praised Scott’s “deep understanding” of small business issues and his “consistent efforts” to promote pro-growth legislation.

“Senator Scott knows our members well and the issues that are most important to them,” said Sussin. “He has a solid record of promoting legislation that strengthens the small business economy and encourages small business owners to grow and thrive. We look forward to continuing to work with him.”

The endorsement comes from NFIB FedPAC, the NFIB’s political action committee, which is funded by voluntary contributions from its members in addition to their membership dues.

According to a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll released on Friday, Scott holds a 15-point lead over former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The poll shows Scott with 54 percent of the vote compared to Mucarsel-Powell’s 39 percent, while seven percent of voters remain undecided.

Scott’s lead is supported by 93 percent of Republican voters and 66 percent of Hispanic voters, indicating that Mucarsel-Powell, despite her Latina background, trails significantly among Hispanic voters.

“Scott’s lead is built by maintaining strong support from his party and from Hispanic voters,” the poll summary states.

As the 2024 election approaches, Scott’s campaign is expected to emphasize his incumbency and strong voter support, while Mucarsel-Powell needs to boost her profile and connect with key demographics to gain ground.

A USA Today/Ipsos poll published last month spelled trouble for Mucarsel-Powell, as findings indicated that 74 percent of Floridians have never heard of the former Congresswoman. Moreover, in totality, just four percent of poll participants held a favorable view of Mucarsel-Powell and eight percent say they have a somewhat favorable view, while the somewhat unfavorable and very unfavorable categorizations both received seven percent of the voter share.

“With the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Florida this November, the majority (74 percent) of Floridians say they have never heard of the main Democratic candidate, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell,” the poll abstract read.

Thus far in her campaign, Mucarsel-Powell has largely focused on abortion access, which she pledges support for, and her intention to back protections to Social Security — an oft-peddled criticism of the incumbent.

Meanwhile, Scott, a two-term Florida governor, has bolstered his reelection campaign with a slew of high-level endorsements, notably from fellow Senator Marco Rubio and 80 state legislators, including Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner. Both lauded Scott’s “commitment to policies fostering a conducive environment for living, working, and raising families in the state.”