Senate GOP campaign chief talks strategy with Trump

Sen. Rick Scott (Fla.), the chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm, said Tuesday that he has talked with former President Trump about the 2022 election.

“I just talked to him about elections. … I told him I want to win in ’22,” said Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

“I’m going to be very specific of where I think he could be helpful and he gets to make the decision whether he wants to do it or not,” Scott added.

Scott is the second GOP senator who has talked to Trump in recent days about the 2022 election. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), who was recently reelected, met with Trump in Florida over the weekend to talk about the future of the party.

Scott, who took over as NRSC chair last month, is tasked with defending 20 seats next year, including four where GOP senators have said they are not running for reelection.

Trump has threatened to support primary challengers for GOP senators, including Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), and made clear in a statement last week that he is willing to get involved in Republican primaries.

Scott, meanwhile, has said he will support incumbent GOP senators against Trump-backed opponents including members of the former president’s family.

Asked about the potential for primaries, Scott demurred, noting that Republicans are “still getting a whole bunch of people in the races.”