National polls show that the Florida Senate race between incumbent Republican Rick Scott and former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is in a dead heat.
Mucarsel-Powell is building momentum after polls had her trailing by 8% in May.
Republicans need to protect the 11 contested seats they hold and flip two to maintain the Senate majority. With Joe Manchin retiring, West Virginia is likely to flip red. Montana incumbent Jon Tester is also trailing Republican Tim Sheehy in the state’s polls.
Florida, once considered a long shot, is looking more important for Democrats to maintain Senate control.
Mucarsel-Powell, who has been outspent 4-to-1 by Sen. Scott, told Caplin News she expects the Democratic Party to continue investing in the race.
“We may see some more coming down,” said Mucarsel-Powell. “We need to make sure that if we elect Kamala Harris to the White House she has a Senate majority that can actually support the policies.”
During her interview, she supported Florida Amendment 4, which would ease restrictions on abortions in the state.
Born in Ecuador, Mucarsel-Powell would be the first Latina to represent Florida in the Senate if elected. She acknowledged that Republicans have made gains among Hispanics in Florida, but said that it is largely due to disinformation.
Having lost her father to gun violence, she declared the issue one of the most significant problems facing Americans today.
She supports the need for background checks before allowing people to buy guns.
Murcarsel-Powell attacked Scott’s stance on the state’s abortion law, noting that he opposed Amendment 4 easing abortion restrictions.
Caplin News reached out to Sen. Rick Scott’s press secretary Madeline Holzmann twice in the past week via email for a response to the comment and did not receive a response.
“I think it’s important we do what there’s consensus,” Scott told The Hill this past April.
To watch the full interview of Mucarsel-Powell, visit our Instagram page.
