Gov. Rick Scott spent Monday logging the miles on the campaign trail up Florida's Atlantic coast, with some big-name support from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
With just eight days to go until Election Day, the incumbent Republican is working to urge supporters to vote early and avoid long lines on Election Day.
Scott and Christie stopped in Brevard and Volusia County on Monday following weekend and morning appearances in South Florida.
The Republicans' message to supporters Monday was clear: The governor's race between Scott and Democrat Charlie Crist is extremely close, voters should take advantage of early voting now, and encouraging others to get out and vote could make all the difference.
As Scott's "Let's Keep Working" tour bus pulled into the Brevard Zoo just before noon, supporters cheered as the governor, along with his New Jersey counterpart, arrived.
"We are turning this state around, and we are continuing to make progress," Scott said. "We have a plan called '20/20' — four things. Beat Texas in job creation, highest funding for K–12 education next year, make sure Charlie Crist never raises tuition on our kids again, and cut $1 billion in taxes."
Gov. Christie said he's proud to lend his support to the Scott campaign.
"I'm here to campaign for someone I feel really strongly about," said Christie. "He's got a great record, and he's earned re-election, so it's easy for me to come down and campaign for him and make the sale, because he's done a great job."
The mood quickly turned serious when Christie was questioned about Ebola and his controversial move to order a 21-day quarentine for those arriving in the Garden State who have had contact with Ebola victims in West Africa. A nurse who was the first to be quarentined under the mandatory ruling was released Monday, before those 21 days were up, to health officials in her native Maine.
The nurse complained she was asymptomatic and not contagious, and claimed the quarantine violated her basic civil rights.
"I understand she was uncomfortable. No one likes to be in the hospital," Christie said. "But she was under supervision of the CDC and our health officials at all times, and I'm glad that she is getting to go back home. Hopefully her health will remain good, and if it is, that is good for her, her family and everybody else. But we are not going to take any risks with the public health in New Jersey."
Scott took a We're making our way inside to speak with both Gov. Scott and Gov. Christie regarding their outspoken stance on monitoring Ebola. Check back and refresh this article at 5 p.m. for a recap of Monday's events.
Monday's leg of Scott's campaign trail ended with a visit to Ormond Beach. On Tuesday, the governor is scheduled to make a stop in Lake County.
Former Gov. Charlie Crist spent Monday campaigning in South Florida to pull in more voters ahead of the Nov. 4 election. He appeared at rallies discussing modified early voting hours.
Crist had his own big-name support Sunday from former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned for Crist at a rally in Tampa.
In the most recent poll, conducted by Quinnipiac University, voters were split 42–42 percent between Scott and Crist, with 7 percent backing the third-party candidate, Libertarian Adrian Wyllie.