Florida Sen. Rick Scott announced Thursday that he will seek re-election in 2024, shutting down speculation that he will mount a bid for the White House.

What You Need To Know

  • Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Thursday that he will seek re-election in 2024

  • Scott, who was first elected to the Senate in 2018, previously served as Florida's governor for two terms

  • Scott most recently chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm, during last year's midterm elections, which saw Democrats expand their majority by one seat

  • The announcement shuts down speculation that Scott will mount a bid for the White House; he told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt late last year that he had "no plans" to run for president

"I’ve never lost an election and I don’t intend to now," Scott said in a statement posted to Twitter. "We’ve worked hard to turn Florida into a red state that elects Republicans up and down the ballot. But I never take anything for granted."

Scott, who was first elected to the Senate in 2018, previously served as Florida's governor for two terms. 

"The people of Florida have elected me three times so far to fight for conservative values, stand up to Joe Biden and the radical, woke Democrats, and bring common-sense to Washington," Scott wrote. "We’re going to keep fighting to do the things the people of Florida elected me to do."

Scott most recently chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm, during last year's midterm elections, which saw Democrats expand their majority by one seat.

News of Scott's re-election bid was first reported by NBC News. Scott told the outlet that he will still push his controversial "11 Point Plan to Rescue America," which contains a number of conservative proposals on issues like education, immigration, crime and the economy. One proposal would require all Americans “pay some income tax to have skin in the game, even if a small amount.” Roughly half of Americans do not pay federal income taxes because their income doesn’t meet the minimum threshold.

Democrats, including President Joe Biden, slammed Scott's proposal, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made it clear he did not endorse Scott’s blueprint. Scott told NBC News that he still stands by his plan.

“I’m going to continue to push it," Scott told the outlet. “I tell people these are my ideas. Let’s start fighting over ideas. If Democrats have a better way of getting people back to work, it doesn’t seem to be working. Labor participation rates are down. We’re not creating full-time jobs. Look at the job market. All we’re doing for last few months is adding part-time jobs. That’s not a great economy. Inflation: 40-year high. If we did what I put in my plan, then it would be better for Americans, all Americans.”

Scott's announcement comes the same day that jobless claims fell to their lowest number in nine months and a report showed that the U.S. economy grew by 2.9% last quarter.

The current NRSC chairman, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, said that he is "thrilled" that Scott "has decided to seek reelection."

"Rick has never lost an election, and I’m confident he will keep Florida red in 2024," Daines said in a Twitter post.

Scott was seen by some as a possible challenger for the 2024 Republican nomination for president, but he told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt late last year that he had "no plans" to mount a White House bid.

"I have no plans to run for President and I have a 100% plan to run for the U.S. Senate," Scott said at the time.