Florida's Missing Governor
January 26, 2012 | 12:36 AM
Has anyone seen Rick Scott?
Florida's Republican governor has been almost invisible this week even as the GOP presidential race consumes his state, shunning the spotlight at a time he could wield influence and raise his own profile.
It's not that Scott has just stayed neutral in the race, he's barely been part of the campaign at all. As The Washington Times reported, he didn't attend Monday's candidate debate and doesn't plan to make an appearance at Thursday's debate. And instead of popping up on the campaign trail, the governor was in Tallahassee on Wednesday touting reform to the state's no-fault insurance laws, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Compare Scott to Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who also remained neutral but nonetheless was a ubiquitous part of the campaign there. Or even another Sunshine State Republican, Sen. Marco Rubio. The conservative star hasn't decided to back one of the White House hopefuls, but he's already played a prominent role in the campaign when his criticism forced Newt Gingrich to withdraw an ad critical of Mitt Romney.
Scott's disappearing act is a conscious decision. The governor who rode the conservative wave of 2010 to victory has since watched his popularity plummet.As a Quinnipiac University poll earlier this month found, his approval rating among Florida voters stands at just 38 percent -- among the lowest for any governor in the country. He also has a sour relationship with some Republicans in the state after winning a bitter primary against the heavily favored Bill McCollum.
To boot, Scott, who was a political neophyte before running in 2010, doesn't boast the kind of robust political organization one would expect of a big-state chief executive.
So it's easy to understand why Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich might not be eager for a photo-op with Scott. And it likewise makes sense that Scott wants to be seen focusing on the state's business, not playing politics with the Republican Party's presidential candidates. (Gingrich and Romney also each endorsed McCollum in his race against Scott, and McCollum is Gingrich's state chairman.)
Scott did emerge somewhat on Wednesday to discuss the race, and ostensibly offer a defense of Romney's business background. Just don't expect him to make a habit of it between now and Tuesday.
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