U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on Thursday endorsed former President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary, turning aside the bid of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scott wrote an opinion piece in Newsweek that said he supports “my friend President Donald J. Trump” and encourages “every Republican to unite behind his efforts to win back the White House.”
Scott served two terms as governor and was succeeded by DeSantis, who was first elected in 2018.
“It's time for the Republican Party to come together, behind one candidate, and declare with one voice that we are united in our efforts to defeat Joe Biden and rescue America,” Scott, who is running for a second term in the Senate in 2024, wrote in the opinion piece.
Scott did not mention DeSantis or other GOP presidential candidates by name.
“I know most of the candidates running for president, and I respect their decision to put themselves through this very difficult process,” Scott wrote. “They've made their case to voters, laid out their agendas and their plans, and told their stories. Make no mistake: every single one of them would be a better president than Joe Biden. But Republican voters are making their voices heard loud and clear. They want to return to the leadership of Donald Trump.”