GOP senator: Republican candidates want Trump endorsement, but will ‘win on issues’

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is seen during a press conference after the weekly policy luncheon on Tuesday, October 19, 2021.
Greg Nash

Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) said on Sunday that Republican candidates want an endorsement from former President Trump, but will “win on issues.” 

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Scott told host Chuck Todd that he hopes Democrats will still be “obsessed” with Trump, referring to former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s (D) focus on Trump during his unsuccessful campaign. 

“If you’re a Republican, you want his endorsement, but you’re going to win on the issues. And if you listen to Ron Klain, and you listen to Phil Murphy, they didn’t get it. What Americans are fed up with, they’re fed up with inflation,” Scott told Todd, referring to the White House chief of staff and Democratic New Jersey governor, respectively, who also appeared on the show.

“They’re fed up with their kids being indoctrinated in their schools and they’re fed up with de-funding the police. Those are the issues that people care about. And so I think this obsession with Donald Trump is going to be good for Republicans next year.” 

Scott, the chair of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, also said that GOP candidates would be “foolish” not to want and accept Trump’s endorsement.

“But you’re going to win not because somebody endorses you, you’re going to win because you focus on making sure inflation gets stopped, making sure people get a job, making sure their kid — your kids aren’t indoctrinated on critical race theory, making sure we have safe communities,” Scott told Todd. “That’s going to be the issues that people care about.”

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Tags 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election Chuck Todd Donald Trump NBC News Phil Murphy Rick Scott Ron Klain Terry McAuliffe Virginia

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