Republican outsider Rick Scott narrowly beat Democrat Alex Sink to become Florida's next governor, capping a stunning insurgent campaign and completing a GOP sweep of statewide offices.
To a burst of cheers at a victory celebration in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday afternoon, Scott declared "Florida, you're open for business."
After rocking to the beat of "This Is Our Moment" by Kenny Chesney, and flanked by his running mate, Jennifer Carroll, and his wife, Anne, Scott vowed to pursue his seven-step job-creation plan to "turn around the great state of Florida."
"This is the end of politics-as-usual in Tallahassee," he said to approving applause.
Though Scott led the election returns from start to finish, the nip-and-tuck race ran into Wednesday morning as late tabulations from Palm Beach County slowed the vote-counting process and gave Sink hope that the Democratic enclave could turn the contest her way.
Before retiring from her Tampa election party early Wednesday, Sink suggested that "hundreds of thousands" of ballots were still to be counted.
Sunshine State News was the first media outlet to call Scott's victory at 10:26 p.m., and Scott remained buoyant throughout the night
"We know we're going to win, we have won, and we look forward to getting this state back to work," Scott told cheering supporters in Fort Lauderdale at 1 a.m. "... Based on the numbers we are seeing now, after all the votes are counted, I am absolutely confident that I will be the next governor ..."
Shortly before noon Wednesday, Sink conceded.
While concluding "there is no path to victory" for her, Sink suggested that Scott did not receive a mandate. "I want to remind Rick Scott that more than 2.5 million Floridians did not vote for him," she said.
Republican Party Chairman John Thrasher issued a statement praising Scott's "hard-fought victory."
"Millions of Florida voters spoke this election, and the message was loud and clear that they want a governor who will be focused on jobs and the economy, keeping taxes low and making sure our kids receive a first-class education.
"We have great challenges ahead, but I know that Rick will dive in immediately," Thrasher said, adding Scott's campaign slogan, "Lets get to work!
Jack Markell, chair of theDemocratic Governors Association, which, like its Republican counterpart, pumped millions of dollars into the hotly contested campaign, praised Sink "for running a strong campaign that reflected the honesty and integrity that have marked her career.
Markell added,We congratulate Gov.-elect Rick Scott on his victory and wish him well in moving the state forward.
In the most expensive political race in Florida history, Scott spent $70 million of his personal fortune while the state Democratic Party and unions poured millions into Sink's campaign.
Both campaigns blitzed the airwaves for months with hard-hitting ads. While Scott tried to tie Sink to an unpopular president, labeling her an "Obama liberal," Sink hammered Scott for his role at Columbia/HCA, which paid a $1.7 billion Medicare fine after his departure.
Scott limped into the fall campaign after a bruising primary battle against Attorney General Bill McCollum. McCollum did not endorse Scott until Oct. 22, and he made no public appearances on Scott's behalf.
But Scott rode an electoral wave that saw Republicans extend their control of Cabinet-level posts and tighten the party's grip on both the state House and state Senate.
Fueled by a tea party movement that attracted independent voters and animated the Republican base, the Scott campaign fended off a full-scale assault by the state Democratic Party, labor unions and Sink's own prodigious fund-raising channels.
Ultimately, Scott's razor-thin victory may have turned on Sink's gaffe during their last debate, when, in violation of the ground rules, she looked at a text message at a break. Her subsequent explanation of her actions only served to undermine her judgment and credibility.
Democrats needed to win the governor's office to get a seat at the table during upcoming redrawing of legislative and congressional districts. But Democrats were shut out, losing all Cabinet-level races and seeing their minority standing at the statehouse shrink even further.
Scott and the Republicans were especially effective at amassing a huge advantage in early and absentee voting.
According to unofficial estimates, the GOP had a turnout advantage over Democrats of 276,987 among all early and absentee voters. That compared with a deficit of 354,374 in 2008 and a more modest 147,019 edge in the 2006 midterm election.
One observer projected that Sink could not win if the GOP had a 300,000-vote edge going into Election Day. Scott and the Republicans didn't quite get that, but it was enough.
Robin Stublen, a tea party activist in Punta Gorda, said, "It is a good feeling to know that the hard work and dedication from grass-roots groups across Florida has resulted in a victory for Rick Scott."
On the other end of the political spectrum, Kenneth Quinnell, director of the Florida Progressive Alliance, said Scott's election -- when it is declared -- "shows that if you spend an unlimited amount of money, you can buy an election in Florida and erase any problems you might have in your past.
"Republicans will have no excuses now," he added. "They will have unprecedented ability to pass their agenda.If problems like unemployment and budget shortfalls aren't fixed in a short period of time, we'll know who to blame."
Scott supporters celebrated at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, even before the final tallies were known.
"I was there," said Violet Williams, a preschool teacher from Delray Beach. "I could just feel how confident he is. He knows he's won. He knows she (Sink) is going to want a recount."
A Sunshine State News Poll on election eve showed Scott leading Sink 49-45.
Click here for video of Scott's Wednesday victory celebration.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341. Contact Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
