Former Senate Democratic candidate switches parties and endorses Rick Scott

Former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rod Joseph (via his Facebook page)Rod Joseph, a little known Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida who finished last in the four-person primary last month, announced Wednesday that he is switching political parties and endorsing Rick Scott for re-election against Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

“I am proud that I am switching my Party affiliation to Republican and I am endorsing Rick Scott in Florida’s U.S. Senate race,” Joseph said in a written statement issued by the Scott campaign.

“For far too long, the Democratic party has taken us immigrants for granted and used us as political prawns each election season. I call upon all my fellow Haitians to join me and re-elect the U.S. Senator Rick Scott to represent the state of Florida.”

Joseph is a Haitian immigrant who served in the U.S. Army. His announcement to join the GOP comes as the Republican presidential ticket of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are under fire for making debunked claims that Haitian immigrants have been eating people’s pets in Springfield, Ohio.

Joseph did little public campaigning and raised a little more than $31,000 in his race. He did receive 5.2% of the vote, finishing behind Mucarsel-Powell, Stanley Campbell, and Brian Rush in the Democratic primary on Aug. 20.

Joseph took a shot at Mucarsel-Powell and the Democratic Party, saying he “cannot support a candidate or political party that wants to implement an agenda that is against the norms and values of our society.” He did not explain what those norms or values were.

“I appreciate Dr. Rod Joseph’s endorsement, and I look forward to earning more votes from the Democrats who are fed up with how radical today’s Democrat party has become,” Scott said.

Most polls have shown Scott maintaining a slight lead over Mucarsel-Powell, a former member of Congress from South Florida. An Emerson College survey released earlier this month had Scott up only by one point, however, 46%-45%.