Politics & Government

Is Rick Scott America's Worst Governor?

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW for short, says he's definitely among the worst of the worst. What's your take, Westchase?

It’s no secret that Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s popularity leaves a lot to be desired.

His approval ratings, even at their very best, aren’t exactly what anyone would call stellar. With just 43 percent of the respondents in a recent Quinnipiac University poll saying they approved of his job in office, Scott’s not necessarily in an enviable position leading into a possible bid for re-election.

Numbers aside, is it fair to say Scott deserves to be categorized as one of the worst governors in America?

Find out what's happening in Westchasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington say it is. The CREW, as it’s also known, “uses high-impact legal actions to target government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests,” according to its website.

It recently published its rankings of worst governors in America. Scott was among such notables as Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Scott Walker of Wisconsin at the top of the list. Although heavily weighted with Republic governors, the list does include such Democrats as New York’s Andrew Cuomo and Democrat-turned-Republican Susana Martinez of New Mexico in runner-up spots.

Find out what's happening in Westchasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Gov. Scott seems like a villain straight out of a Charles Dickens novel,” said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan in a media release.  “There seems to be no vulnerable group, from welfare recipients to Medicaid beneficiaries, Gov. Scott won’t take advantage of to enrich himself and his supporters.”

Check out the full report here.

What do you think Westchase? Is CREW coming down too hard on Rick Scott, or is the assessment right on the money? Tell us by commenting below.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Westchase