Trump encourages Rick Scott to run for Senate

President Trump encouraged Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) to run for Senate in 2018 as he spoke in Florida to survey the damage from Hurricane Irma.

Trump made the comments during an address in Fort Meyers, standing alongside his wife, Melania Trump, Vice President Pence, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Scott and others responsible for coordinating the response to the storm that hit Florida over the weekend. 

“I have to say, what do I know, but I hope this man right here, Rick Scott, runs for the Senate,” Trump said. 

{mosads}”I don’t know what he’s going to do, but I know that at a certain point, it ends for you, and we can’t let it end.”

Scott, whose term expires in 2018, has flirted with a bid for Senate and is considered the GOP’s top candidate to run against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) in 2018. Some Republicans also believe that Scott’s response to the hurricane has raised his profile in the state and could be good experience to cite if he decides to run. 

While Nelson, the three-term incumbent, will be a tough candidate to unseat, Scott has deep ties to Trump and even deeper pockets to help finance a bid. Republicans are also bullish about the seat after Trump carried the state narrowly in November and Rubio won reelection despite being battered by Trump in the presidential primary.