Power

Republican Rick Scott Wins in Close Florida Gubernatorial Race

The race was close, with incumbent Rick Scott and Democratic opponent Charlie Crist remaining neck-and-neck until about 90 percent of the votes were counted. The re-election of Scott marks a loss for reproductive rights and health-care access in the state.

rick scott
The race was close, with incumbent Rick Scott and Democratic opponent Charlie Crist remaining neck-and-neck until about 90 percent of the votes were counted. The re-election of Scott marks a loss for reproductive rights and health-care access in the state. Mark Taylor // Flickr

Rick Scott has been re-elected the next governor of Florida.

The race was close, with incumbent Scott and Democratic opponent Charlie Crist remaining neck-and-neck until about 90 percent of the votes were counted. The re-election of Scott marks a loss for reproductive rights and health-care access in the state.

The Crist campaign, responding to low voter turnout and polling booth malfunctions, filed an emergency motion to keep polling places open until 9 p.m. instead of 7 p.m., but it was denied by a judge.

Scott’s first term as governor was mired in controversy. From national criticism over the Stand Your Ground law to purges of the voter rolls, Scott was, for a large part of his term, widely considered one of the least popular governors in the country.

Under Scott’s leadership, Florida passed a number of anti-choice laws and other measures that harmful to reproductive health. Since taking office in 2011, some 30 pieces of anti-choice legislation were introduced in Florida, four of which Scott signed, according to Lillian Tamayo, chair of the Florida Planned Parenthood PAC.

Among the anti-choice laws signed by Scott during his first term is HB 1047, an abortion restriction bill that both narrowed the exceptions under which a woman can have an abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy and banned abortion if a doctor deems the fetus “viable,” and a law mandating that an ultrasound be given to a woman prior to her abortion.

Crist, who was previously a Republican governor of Florida, was at one point a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, though he has since changed his opinion on Medicaid, saying last February that he would support a three-year expansion.

Crist’s position on abortion has been less clear. While running for governor in 2006 he said he would sign a ban on abortion, with exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergencies, but recently said he believes government should not legislate personal health decisions like abortion.