In a race that many thought was Scott’s to lose, polls show his opponent, Nelson could retain his seat. The governor is being taunted as “Red Tide Rick,” and some Floridians have made him the butt of jokes on social media, contrasting the state’s beautiful beaches with the dead fish littering its shores. Scott is haunted by a perception among many voters, conservative and liberal, that his environmental policies made a natural disaster worse. “Red tide is naturally occurring — and even scientists at the Mote Marine Laboratory have called out the absurdity of blaming Gov. But as red tide heads north along Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the number of communities keeps growing.

Source: Washington Post October 30, 2018 14:36 UTC