Sen. Rick Scott will face a challenge in the GOP primary for his seat in Washington after businessman and lawyer Keith Gross filed to run against him as a Republican.


What You Need To Know

  • Sen. Rick Scott will face a challenge in the GOP primary for his seat in Washington after businessman and lawyer Keith Gross filed to run against him as a Republican
  • According to a Politico report, Gross has run for office before as a Democrat in Georgia

  • Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Scott for his Plan to Rescue America, which initially said, "All federal legislation sunsets in five years"

  • Gross didn't name Scott in his video but seemingly took aim at a 1990s Medicare fraud investigation into a health care company Scott once led

Gross declared his candidacy for Senate in a two-minute video. He talked about being raised by a single mother in Florida, touted his business experience, and called for limited government.

"We know that our economy thrives with less government intervention and that piling taxes on our working-class families and seniors is never the answer," Gross said in the video. "Unfortunately, in Washington, it's a different story." 

According to a Politico report, Gross has run for office before as a Democrat in Georgia.

Scott was first elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving two terms as governor. He officially announced his campaign for a second term in January.

Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Scott for his Plan to Rescue America, which initially said, "All federal legislation sunsets in five years."

Critics said that would "put Medicare and Social Security on the chopping block" — a talking point that Democrats used relentlessly in last year's midterm elections.

Scott later amended the plan to name exceptions specifically. In November, Scott ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for Majority Leader.

In a January video, Scott said, "People told me not to run for Republican leader against Mitch McConnell. They said I wouldn't win. I knew it would be hard, but we gotta start somewhere."

Gross didn't name Scott in his video but seemingly took aim at a 1990s Medicare fraud investigation into a health care company Scott once led. The company paid a $1.7 billion fine, but Scott was not charged with wrongdoing.

"I've already made my way, and I didn't have to defraud anyone to do it," Gross said. "It's time to get things done in Washington and to have representation that Florida can trust."  

Gross's just filed, and his campaign does not yet show any cash on hand. Scott's campaign had $4 million cash on hand at the end of 2022. The next filing deadline for the first quarter of the year is Saturday.

Scott's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Gross' announcement.