Guns at forefront in Senate campaign

For Florida’s Republican governor, the path to victory in two close statewide elections over the past eight years was simple: “Jobs, jobs, jobs.” That may have all changed more than two weeks ago when 17 people were shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Suddenly Rick Scott, who is expected to mount a campaign to oust incumbent Democrat U.S. Bill Nelson, is embroiled in a fierce debate over gun control that has seen the governor split with President Donald Trump and some members of his own party over what should be done to prevent another mass shooting. The escalated sniping between Nelson and Scott may presage a heated campaign in a swing state that twice supported President Barack Obama but then backed Trump.

Nelson mocked Scott, saying he lacked “guts” for skipping an emotionally charged town hall forum attended by survivors and family members of those killed at the Parkland school. He also criticized Scott because the state had offered financial incentives to gun manufacturers. Scott snapped back at Nelson, saying he had failed to pass any substantial gun measures during his three terms in office. “Bill Nelson is a career politician; he talks a lot and does nothing,” Scott said last week. “He’s never done anything on gun safety, or school safety and he’s done nothing on gun control.”

Scott made those remarks the same day he came out with a $500 million proposal to bolster school-safety programs, primarily through the use of school resource officers who work for local law-enforcement agencies. The governor, who in the past has gotten top marks from the National Rifle Association for supporting a long line of gun-rights measures, also called for raising the minimum age to purchase any type of gun.