Rick Scott says GOP candidates should embrace Trump endorsements: 'Foolish' not to

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Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott said it would be "foolish" for Republican candidates going into the 2022 midterms to not embrace endorsements from former President Donald Trump.

"I think you'd be foolish not to want and accept Donald 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. That's gonna be the issues that people care about," Scott told NBC host Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" Sunday. 

Scott, who said earlier this year he wants Trump to stay out of Senate primaries, added that he hopes Democrats in 2022 remain "obsessed with Donald Trump" during their races next year. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 20: Rick Scott, Senator, State of Florida (R-FL), U.S. Senate speaks onstage during the 2021 Concordia Annual Summit - Day 1 at Sheraton New York on September 20, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 30: Former president of the United States Donald Trump waves prior to Game Four of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves Truist Park on October 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Zarrilli/Getty Images)

The remarks came amid a discussion on the gubernatorial elections last week in both New Jersey and Virginia. Virginia ultimately voted in favor of Republican Glenn Youngkin, while the New Jersey race was tighter than anticipated with a strong showing of Republican voters in South Jersey. 

A confident Jack Ciattarelli likes to say that he’s the only New Jersey Republican who can unseat Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in this November’s election. 

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"I hope Democrats continue to be obsessed with Donald Trump. I think Terry McAuliffe would probably run his campaign differently, he wouldn't focus his whole campaign on Donald Trump," Scott said. 

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"I think what we have to do is, we have to say, ‘We would love Donald Trump's endorsement,’ if you're a Republican and you want his endorsement. But you're gonna win on the issues."

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Scott added that Americans are "fed up with inflation. They're fed up with their kids being indoctrinated in their schools. And they're fed up with defunding 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."

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Trump has repeatedly denounced Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in recent months, and openly endorsed her opponent. Scott said Sunday that he is endorsing all Republican Senate incumbents, including Murkowski.