By Paul Vasquez
The re-election campaign of Florida’s U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R) recently debuted a television ad titled “Leadership” into his tight race to fend off the fierce challenge from former U.S. Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. In this ad, various law enforcement and government officials compliment Scott on his responses to natural disasters here in Florida, such as hurricanes. However, the ad is very misleading. For one thing, Scott did not vote to support FEMA prior to Hurricane Helene, which would have provided necessary supplemental disaster relief funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Perhaps if Scott had supported the program, he wouldn’t have to run ads to compensate for his lack of constructive action.
Furthermore, real leaders do more than respond to crises when they happen. In fact, as one ancient Chinese wise man wrote, leadership and skill are most present when crises are avoided because good leaders are smart enough to solve problems before they get out of control. However, when he was Governor of Florida, Scott failed to lead our state, which is so vulnerable to our changing environment, by dramatically downplaying the threat of climate change that is threatening our citizens and our insurance markets.
In contrast, during her time in Congress, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell represented South Florida, the Florida Keys, and the Everglades, working across party lines to secure over $200 million for environmental conservation and Everglades restoration. Following Hurricane Irma, she helped deliver nearly $10 million in critical FEMA funding to support South Florida communities. In the U.S. Senate, Debbie is committed to securing funding for climate-resilient infrastructure to combat climate change. She recognizes the reality of climate change and is prepared to take action to address the crisis affecting Floridians, their lives, and their property.
The Sunshine State deserves politicians who lead in broad daylight, like Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Learn more about where she stands on the issues here.