Gov. Rick Scott: I'm so disappointed in Bill Nelson
Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott says it looks like his Democratic opponent and his attorneys are doing 'everything they can to steal this election.'
Florida Republican Rick Scott claimed Friday night that his Democratic opponent and his attorneys were “going to do everything they can to steal” the election for the state’s hotly contested U.S. Senate seat.
Scott, appearing on Fox News’ “Hannity,” said as of Friday night his lead over longtime Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson had narrowed to less than 15,000 votes after Scott was ahead by 57,000 at the close of Election Night on Tuesday.
He told Sean Hannity that he was “so disappointed” in Nelson, calling the Democrat “a career politician” who “can’t stand to lose.”
Scott then alluded to Nelson's decision to seek help from Marc Elias, a top lawyer from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
"All he's doing now is, he's hired Hillary Clinton's lawyer to say -- and his lawyer said it -- 'I'm trying to win the election,'" Scott said. "Not 'fair election,' not 'Make sure all the ballots are cast,' [but instead] 'I'm here to win this election.'"
Scott then suggested that Elias may have been thinking, "I'm here to steal this election."
The election controversy centers on populous Broward and Palm Beach counties in South Florida. Scott had alleged in a lawsuit that officials there were hiding critical information about the number of votes cast and counted. A state judge sided with Scott on Friday, ordering that Republicans be granted access to requested information about ballots.
FLORIDA ELECTION OFFICIAL REQUESTS EMERGENCY HEARING AFTER JUDGE'S RULING
The results are so close now that many predict a recount, with Scott saying there could be a manual recount if he wins by less than 21,000 votes.
"There's going to be a recount for sure. And it's a waiting game," Scott’s lawyer, William Scherer, told CNN on Friday night. "We're fully expecting it."
"There's going to be a recount for sure. And it's a waiting game. We're fully expecting it."
A lawyer for Nelson has also predicted a recount but believes the incumbent will squeak out a win.
However, Scott remained confident that he will be certified as the winner on Saturday, subject to a recount.
“I am the senator-elect in this state,” Scott told Hannity. “We will be certified tomorrow and we’re going to fight every one of these lawsuits and we’re going to win.”
Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
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