Florida Governor Rick Scott keeps
alienating the people hes trying to befriend.
The Republicans effort to win support from Cuban-Americans resulted in threats of a lawsuit. At a lunch to charm black lawmakers, he offended them. He turned a goodwill mission into comedy-show fodder when he greeted Spains king by asking about the monarchs politically sensitive elephant hunt.
The governors gaffes, along with an approval rating that hasnt gone above 41 percent in Quinnipiac University polls, may hurt his partys presidential contender, Mitt Romney. Florida is one of the most competitive electoral battlegrounds, with the past three presidential races decided by 5 percentage points or less. Romney hasnt campaigned with Scott.
Rick Scott doesnt seem to have any political skills at all, said Tom Slade, the former co-chairman of Scotts campaign and ex-chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Id give him a B for governing. Id give him an A for strangeness.
Adding to Scotts misery: His office is facing a criminal investigation over missing e-mail; the federal government is suing the state over purging voters from the rolls; and the governor recently hired his third chief of staff in 18 months.
Scott, 59, moved to Florida about a decade ago while he was running his own private-equity firm. A former chief executive officer of HCA Holdings Inc. (HCA), a Nashville, Tennessee-based hospital operator, he was forced out amid a Medicare fraud investigation that resulted in criminal charges against the company.
Florida Governor Snubbed by Romney After Political Gaffes - Bloomberg
alienating the people hes trying to befriend.
The Republicans effort to win support from Cuban-Americans resulted in threats of a lawsuit. At a lunch to charm black lawmakers, he offended them. He turned a goodwill mission into comedy-show fodder when he greeted Spains king by asking about the monarchs politically sensitive elephant hunt.
The governors gaffes, along with an approval rating that hasnt gone above 41 percent in Quinnipiac University polls, may hurt his partys presidential contender, Mitt Romney. Florida is one of the most competitive electoral battlegrounds, with the past three presidential races decided by 5 percentage points or less. Romney hasnt campaigned with Scott.
Rick Scott doesnt seem to have any political skills at all, said Tom Slade, the former co-chairman of Scotts campaign and ex-chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Id give him a B for governing. Id give him an A for strangeness.
Adding to Scotts misery: His office is facing a criminal investigation over missing e-mail; the federal government is suing the state over purging voters from the rolls; and the governor recently hired his third chief of staff in 18 months.
Scott, 59, moved to Florida about a decade ago while he was running his own private-equity firm. A former chief executive officer of HCA Holdings Inc. (HCA), a Nashville, Tennessee-based hospital operator, he was forced out amid a Medicare fraud investigation that resulted in criminal charges against the company.
Florida Governor Snubbed by Romney After Political Gaffes - Bloomberg
