Senate GOP election arm defends Rick Scott’s anniversary trip to Italy days after he slammed Biden’s vacation

Senate GOP election arm defends Rick Scott’s anniversary trip to Italy days after he slammed Biden’s vacation

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The 2022 midterm elections are looming and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has traveled to Italy to celebrate his wedding anniversary after previously criticizing President Biden for vacationing in Delaware

Scott, who serves as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and is largely responsible for prioritizing efforts to win back the Senate for Republicans in November, is spending a portion of the recess on a “luxury yacht in Italy with his family,” according to an Axios report.

The political director for the NRSC, Stu Sandler, said in a Tuesday tweet that Scott is “celebrating his 50th anniversary” on the trip, and called the report “truly idiotic.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the NRSC, did not to comment on the chairman’s schedule but suggested Fox News Digital should “report on more important and interesting things than gossip from an outlet like Axios.”

SEN. RICK SCOTT PREDICTS ‘BLOODBATH’ FOR DEMS IN MIDTERMS, SAYS ISSUES LIKE INFLATION WILL BE FOCUS, NOT TRUMP

In a tweet issued Monday, Scott took aim at Biden for vacationing in Delaware and insisted he should instead visit the southern border, which has been repeatedly ravaged by large influxes of migrants.

“Another week of President Biden vacationing in Delaware vs. working at the White House,” Scott wrote in the tweet.

Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott speaks during CPAC Texas 2022 conference at Hilton Anatole.
(Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“If he loves to travel so much, I’ve got some suggestions as to where he should go next,” Scott added of Biden’s travels.

Scott’s tweet included a Twitter poll with three options for users to select from, all of which read: “The southern border.”

The revelation of Scott’s vacation overseas comes amid comments from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell last week that seemingly served as a stark warning for Republicans ahead of the elections taking place around the country.

On Thursday, when asked for his 2022 prediction at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce luncheon, McConnell cited “candidate quality” as a reason why he believes Republicans will face difficulty in flipping the Senate in November and instead might only be able to flip control of the House.

MCCONNELL COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘CANDIDATE QUALITY’ WHILE INVESTING IN SENATE RACES FOR GOP CONTENDERS

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, speaks during a news conference following the weekly Republican caucus luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., US, on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.
(Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate,” said McConnell, who has led the GOP in the Senate since 2007. “Senate races are just different, they’re statewide. Candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome.”

In July, Scott, during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” expressed confidence that Republicans will retake control of the Senate in the midterm elections, predicting a “bloodbath” for Democrats.

“The Biden agenda is horrible,” Scott said, adding that the American people are “frustrated” by high inflation.

Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, speaks during a television interview at the Russell Senate Office building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020.
(Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“This is hurting so many people in my state, so I think this is going to be a bloodbath for the Democrats this year,” he added.

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Scott also insisted the GOP has “great candidates” and that Republicans have a chance to gain six Senate seats this fall. “We are going to have a great year,” he said.

Fox News did not receive an immediate response from Scott’s office after a request for comment.

Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer contributed to this article.