Gov. Rick Scott praises Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff as he plans potential Senate run

SARASOTA -- Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday said Carlos Beruff, who is considering a run for the U.S. Senate, has done a good job on the various boards to which he has appointed the Manatee County developer.

Beruff is poised for a possible senatorial campaign for the seat being vacated by Marco Rubio, who is in the midst of his Republican presidential campaign. According to the Associated Press, at least four members of Scott's political team met with Beruff to discuss a possible run, although Beruff has not officially announced. Beruff could not be reached late Tuesday.

While Scott stopped short of any kind of endorsement, he praised Beruff for a job well done at his appointed posts.

"He's been the chair of the Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding and did a great job with that," Scott told the Bradenton Herald on Tuesday during a visit to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. "He's done a great job with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and also on the State College (of Florida) board. So, he's doing a great job."

Should Beruff enter the race, he would be pitted against a crowded Republican field

thus far, which includes Reps. Ron DeSantis and David Jolly, businessman Todd Wilcox and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.

While Beruff would be considered a political newcomer, he is no stranger to Scott.

Beruff served on Scott's transition team prior to his many appointments by the governor and donated $75,000 to Scott's Let's Get to Work political committee.

In Sarasota, Scott met with Sheriff Thomas Knight and took a tour of the facility.

"I'm here to see Sheriff Knight because he's doing a great job," said Scott. "I'm in town, so I wanted to see how he is doing and see if I can be helpful. Crime is down and the police departments around the state are doing a great job."

Scott has had regular visits to Manatee and Sarasota counties over the past year, often visiting Port Manatee and other facilities to promote job growth.

Scott joked that if he spends any more time in the area, someone's "going to start charging me taxes. It's a beautiful part of the state and it's always great to be here."

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 11:11 PM with the headline "Gov. Rick Scott praises Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff as he plans potential Senate run ."