How Rick Scott could use space as an issue against Bill Nelson

Politico notes that Governor of Florida Rick Scott, a Republican, is making moves to challenge Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, for his Senate seat. Scott is considered a popular governor, and Nelson is one of the more vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Republicans hope to pad their narrow majority in the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections. The Florida race is one area where hopes are running high.

One issue where Scott may hope to undercut Nelson is in space policy. The conventional wisdom is that aerospace workers concentrated in Brevard County tend to be right-leaning anyway. However, elections are about turnout, so the more Republicans and right-leaning independents Scott can attract to the poles the better. Nelson has made a number of controversial stands that make him a target rich environment,

Lobby Marco Rubio to confirm Jim Bridenstine as NASA administrator.

Scott can score a coup against his opponent right away by lobbying Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, to declare support for Rep.

Jim Bridenstine, R-Oklahoma for NASA administrator. Sen. Nelson has been leading an all-out war to deny Bridenstine the post. Rubio has been one of the two sole Republican holdouts. If Scott were to swing Rubio to support Bridenstine, he would have proven himself a potentially effective senator and Nelson less so.

Tour commercial space development in Florida

The conventional wisdom that the key to growth in the space sector resides in the commercial industry happens to be an entirely accurate one. Scott should point out the role of private business in augmenting the economy of Florida’s space coast and to take credit for it as much as seems sensible. He should point out that Nelson’s opposition to moving low Earth orbit operations from the International Space Station to commercial facilities is likely to hurt Florida in the long run.

Scott should mention that having a senator who is friendly to the Trump administration would be better for Florida’s space industry than one who is antagonistic to the White House.

Advocate for a Puerto Rico spaceport

Nelson is resting his hopes in new Floridians who happen to be refugees from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. Scott could suggest that one way to lift the island territory from the morass that it finds itself in is economic development, which might also benefit Florida based companies. One such development project might be a spaceport on the north shore of that island that could launch satellites into polar orbits. Such a spaceport would not compete with the Kennedy Space Center and would help generate jobs and economic growth in both Puerto Rico and Florida.