- Some prominent Florida Democrats are eyeing former NBA stars in a bid to reverse their losing streak.
- NBC News reported that Democrats have talked to Grant Hill and tried to coax Dwyane Wade into running.
Florida Democrats are so desperate to reverse their losing streak that they are eyeing basketball legends Dwyane Wade and Grant Hill as possible challengers to Republican Sen. Rick Scott, according to a report.
NBC News reported Monday evening that prominent Florida and national Democrats have had conversations about getting Hill and Wade to challenge Scott, a first-term senator and former governor. Scott has repeatedly drawn President Joe Biden's ire over a proposal to sunset federal laws after five years. Biden and other leading Democrats argued that Scott's plan would gut Social Security and Medicare. Scott later clarified his plan wouldn't do that after months of criticism.
According to the report, John Morgan, an Orlando attorney and major Democratic donor, has spoken directly to Hill about challenging Scott. Morgan and Hill are business partners. Hill is a co-owner of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, a college basketball hall of famer, and an analyst for Turner Sports. The Duke great lives in the Orlando area and played seven seasons for the Magic.
Wade has been much more politically outspoken than Hill. The three-time NBA Champion's candidacy appears less likely given that just last month he told People Magazine about his family's decision to leave Florida in 2021. The former Miami Heat star felt that his 15-year-old daughter Zaya, who is transgender, would not be accepted in the increasingly conservative state.
"I mean, obviously, the tax [situation] is great. Having Wade County is great," Wade told the publication. "But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And so that's one of the reasons why I don't live there."
Insider was unable to reach Wade and Hill for comment. Both Wade and Hill endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.
"Dwyane Wade is a Florida legend, whose leadership past and present has a lot of folks in our state sending feelers out," Ray Paultre, the executive director of the Florida Alliance, a progressive donor group, told NBC. "We have seen former athletes, in both parties, bring something special to the political landscape. He hasn't been officially approached, but he is on the list of four or five dream candidates to challenge Rick Scott.
Despite Biden's repeated attacks, Scott will be difficult to take down.
Led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Republicans posted historic results in the midterms, further depleting Democrats' bench of lower office holders and paving the way for a number of conservative priorities to become law. Scott is also among the wealthiest members of Congress, having amassed a fortune as a health care executive. He spent almost $64 million to narrowly oust then-incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2018 and another $75 million to win his first term as governor.
"Hilarious how even @FlaDems think @MurphyforFL, @DebbieforFL or whoever else is being floated are jokes," Chris Hartline, a senior Scott advisor wrote on Twitter in reference to NBC's report.
Hartline was talking about former Reps. Stephanie Murphy and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who are both reportedly considering their own bids. Murphy did not rule out a bid in an interview with NBC. Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried brushed off any concerns about recruitment struggles.
"Having friends all over the state working to recruit great candidates over a year and half out from the election, shows that Florida Democrats are energized to take on Rick Scott and optimistic that we will recruit a top tier candidate to do so," Fried wrote in a message to Insider.