One of the most closely watched races this election cycle could influence the balance of power in the U.S. Senate: Republican Sen. Rick Scott is being challenged by former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

Voters will decide Tuesday whether to retain Scott or elect Mucarsel-Powell to one of the few Senate seats the Republican Party is defending this election cycle.

Scott was elected to the Senate in 2018, defeating incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson by about 10,000 votes out of more than 8 million votes cast. He also served two terms as governor, winning both times with less than 50% of the vote.

Mucarsell-Powell defeated an incumbent Republican to win her only term in Congress in 2018. Two years later, however, she lost to Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, giving up the seat that switched parties to several times during the last elections.

About the candidates

In Washington, Scott says he has worked to return money to taxpayers, end what he calls “reckless” government spending and fight inflation. He says he’s taking steps to protect Social Security and Medicare, denying Mucarsel-Powell’s claims that he’s campaigning to end the federal programs.

“Are we going to go down the path of socialism or the path of opportunity? It’s really that simple,” Scott told NBC6 anchor Jackie Nespral. “Do you want the government to dictate your life, decide all these things for you, and that costs you money, takes away opportunities? Or do you want to have freedom, which would take responsibility for you and not mean that you would get a perfect result?

In Congress, Mucarsel-Powell says she worked to expand Medicare, provide economic relief to families and small businesses, and secure funding to restore the Everglades.

“(Scott) has been voting against your interests for years,” Mucarsel-Powell said on Nespral’s Impact. “I’m doing this because Florida deserves better than what we currently have in the Senate.”

On the main questions

Voters made it clear in polls that the economy and inflation were the top two issues on their minds.

Scott blasted the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the economy, blaming what he called “their tax-and-spend agenda” for soaring inflation rates.

“Groceries, gas are way up… Almost everything people touch,” Scott said. “This is the biggest problem we face. It’s all because of one thing: the government is spending more than it takes in. We’re spending 40% more than we take in, and taxes are already high enough I don’t know any American who says, oh my God, I want to pay more taxes, so we have to do what I did as governor: balance the budget.

He blasted his opponent for his “anti-business” attitude and praised former President Donald Trump’s economic plan to support small businesses to boost the economy.

“(Trump) is a businessman. He knows how to build and grow a business. This country can’t grow, we can’t have more opportunities, we can’t have more jobs if we don’t we don’t have more successful businesses,” Scott said. “Look at what the economy was like when President Trump was president. We had lower unemployment, a much better economy, we didn’t have inflation, closed borders, things like that. We need to understand this “It’s not. It’s going to be easy, but I’d rather have a businessman do it than someone who has no business experience.”

Mucarsel-Powell, who calls herself a fiscal conservative, has come out against raising taxes on the middle class and promised to tackle rising costs head-on.

“I’m not convinced about raising taxes on those earning $400,000 and above because there are families because the cost of living is so high that they can’t even access the buying their first home,” she told Nespral.

“We need to provide tax incentives, not raise taxes, on families who may not have the income to buy their first home or provide for their family’s education,” Mucarsel-Powell said.

Survey numbers

According to a poll conducted by Mason-Dixon for NBC6 and Telemundo 51, Scott is ahead of Mucarsel-Powell by seven points. The poll shows that 48 percent of Florida voters favor re-electing Scott to a second term in the Senate, while 41 percent are inclined to vote for Mucarsel-Powell. Nine percent are still undecided.

Scott would like to tap into the undecided percentage: “I’d like to meet everyone. I travel around the state every day and I’ve been doing it for 14 years basically. You have to talk to people, talk about their problems.”

Mucarsel-Powell and Democrats hope that support for two statewide initiatives – legalizing recreational marijuana and establishing a constitutional right to abortion until it becomes viable – will take it to the finish line, especially Amendment 4 on abortion.

“We need to view this as an opportunity to protect women’s freedom and choice, but also make sure people understand that if Rick Scott is re-elected, he will push for a national ban on abortion,” Mucarsell said. Powell.