As Rick Scott Eyes Senate, Evolving Florida Governor Faces Toughest Test Yet

Florida Gov. Rick Scott's expected entrance into the Senate race against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson gives the GOP a top-flight recruit with deep pockets in an expensive state, shifting the battlefield map for 2018.

Republicans are daring Democrats to try and pour resources in to help Nelson — something that would take funds away from the other nine incumbents running in states President Trump won.

Throughout his two terms in office, Scott has been a divisive figure — but one that even some Democrats admit they may have underestimated at times. Still, they argue the wealthy former health care executive has benefited from conservative headwinds in his past elections that may not be there in 2018 with a possible blue wave forming.

At dawn of the Tea Party, Scott emerges onto the political stage

Few people in Florida had heard of Scott in 2010 when he announced he was beginning his political career with a run for the state's top office. He ended up spending more than $70 million of his own money on a campaign that came at precisely the right time.