Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, isn’t running for president. He said so repeatedly. Sorry people, it’s not happening.

Yet, I promise as the senator gives a keynote speech at the Florida Young Republicans conference in town this weekend, the topic will come up. He will hear the questions from those whose interests piqued after a New York Times article asserted Scott could jump in the race if Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign continues to falter. 

Indeed, I predict Scott will hear from some ambitious politicos who very much want to know if he will forgo a re-election campaign for Senate. U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, will also be a featured speaker at the YR event, and Steube has long held an interest in running for U.S. Senate. A vacancy, I’m quite certain, will earn his attention. Heck, Scott ally Jimmy Patronis suggested the Senator’s phone has “blown up” with calls from Florida Congressmen just curious what his next steps will be.

Steube’s not even the only local who might run. Sources close to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, and state Sen. Joe Gruters, a former Republican Party of Florida chairman, agree there’s a “non-zero chance” either could jump into an open Senate race. There’s even some self-funders like developer Carlos Beruff, who already ran for U.S. Senate once. Anything could happen.

Except this totally isn’t happening. Scott already said he’s running for re-election. His travel schedule involves trips to Florida Lincoln dinners, not Iowa fairs and New Hampshire hobnobs. Plus, his campaign issued several communications pouring cold water on fresh speculation he’s running for president. Though that begs the question what prompted the Times article in the first place. 

Sure, many expected his ambitious step leading the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2022 would be a preamble to a national run. Scott was so constant a face for the NRSC many joked that acronym really stood for the National Rick Scott Committee.

But Senate Republicans had a crummy midterm. The GOP caucus scored saw a net loss in seats. Then, Scott made a failed challenge to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and seems persona non grata with Senate leadership. 

Of course, one might ask why he would want to stay in the Senate in that environment. 

Also, money’s never been a problem for the richest member of Congress. He largely self-funded two successful runs for governor and his U.S. Senate campaign in 2018. Plus, Florida seems more Republican-friendly than ever. He might see his first landslide victory in 2024.

Except he’s not running. He’s just not.

Never mind Scott’s icy relationship with DeSantis or the fact the Senator (secretly) rubs his hands in glee at every poll showing his gubernatorial successor losing to Donald Trump.

Also, Scott and Trump have been friends for years. The senator’s loyalty to the ex-president will surely make him wait at least until Trump leaves the stage.

Of course, that could happen sooner than later. Twice indicted with other legal troubles on the horizon, Trump can call witch hunt all he wants, but most tied to stakes in Salem burned to death. A guilty verdict, or a plea that included a promise not to run, could still push Trump out regardless of his public resolve now.

If Trump drops out, and DeSantis can't consolidate GOP voters, none of the reasons Scott stayed out of the race will really apply. Plus, he clearly enjoyed being an elected executive more than a lawmaker (and was much better at it).

But this is silly. Scott won’t run for president this year. And that’s how everything will stay. Unless everything changes.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor to SRQ MEDIA.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.