Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R.) on Monday teased a "big announcement" on social media as rumors continue to grow that he has decided to launch a bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson.
Scott appears poised to challenge Nelson this year after flirting with the idea of running for the past year, the Associated Press reported.
The governor, who is finishing his final term, tweeted that he will make "a big announcement" on April 9, without elaborating further.
Join me the morning of April 9th on Facebook Live, as I make a big announcement. pic.twitter.com/KBBtUCueyp
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) March 26, 2018
The tweet came on the heels of a notable departure by Scott's chief of staff, Jackie Schutz Zeckman, who resigned on Sunday and has served in Scott's administration since he first took office in 2011. Many observes expect Zeckman to take on an important role in Scott's potential Senate campaign.
The governor has remained non-committal and ambiguous about his political future as pressure has risen for him to run. In September, President Donald Trump touted the idea of a Scott candidacy while visiting Florid to survey the damage brought by Hurricane Irma. Despite Trump's endorsement, Scott has demurred on making his intentions clear, opting to make a formal decision after the Florida Legislature adjourned.
Nelson, a three-term incumbent Democrat, is up for reelection this year. He is viewed as vulnerable in a state that has shifted further into the Republican column. Scott, whose approval ratings have ticked upward over the past year, is seen as an attractive candidate given his two successive campaigns for governor and his ability to self-finance.
In recent weeks the two men have traded barbs over how to adequately respond to the February shooting at Marjory Stone Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The shooting, which left 17 dead, has reignited the national conversation on gun control.
Nelson fired the opening salvo when he criticized Scott for not appearing at a televised CNN town hall to discuss gun violence and school safety.
"There is no representative of the state of Florida," Nelson told the CNN audience. "Our governor did not come here."
Days later, Scott responded to Nelson's rebuke at a press conference during which the governor was set to announce a $400 million proposal to fund school safety initiatives. The governor, juxtaposing his own experience as a business leader and Florida's chief executive, said Nelson is just another "career politician" who "hasn't done anything" to improve "gun safety or school safety."
If Scott does challenge Nelson, the race could be one of the most high-profile and expensive this election cycle. National Republicans do not want to cede any ground to Democrats, especially as the Senate majority has narrowed to one seat with the election of Sen. Doug Jones (D., Ala.) in December.