Florida senator calls on New Yorkers who 'hate socialism' to move south with aerial ad
Florida Sen. Rick Scott flew an aerial ad across the skies of New York City on Saturday with a message encouraging residents to relocate to the Sunshine State to escape socialism, should Zohran Mamdani become mayor of the Big Apple.
The banner was seen above Coney Island and Jones Beach as beachgoers soaked up the sun.
"Hate socialism?" read Scott's aerial ad. "Us too! Move 2 FL."
Scott addressed the aerial banner in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
"While many New Yorkers are out enjoying the beach this weekend, we will be giving them a friendly reminder that in addition to our world class beaches, Florida is the state where you can escape socialism," said Scott, who headed the state as governor from 2011-2019.
The Republican senator slammed New York City and the politics of Mamdani.
"New York City once represented the American Dream – a city where anything was possible," Scott said. "Today, it has now become the city where only billionaires can prosper, Jewish students are attacked on campus, capitalism is shunned and radical socialists like Zohran Mamdani are celebrated."
Mamdani handily won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary last month against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani is seen as a frontrunner in the race for City Hall, though many in the Democratic establishment have yet to fully embrace the socialist nominee.
NYC COUNCILWOMAN WARNS MAMDANI VICTORY WILL DRIVE AWAY KEY VOTING BLOC: 'AFRAID TO LIVE HERE'
Scott said New York City reaped the rewards of capitalism, "the best system in the world," which is now "being villainized by the Democrats all across this country."
"Democrats are working around the clock to discredit President Trump and tear down our country and rebuild it in their woke, radical image through socialist policies," the Republican said. "But, this isn’t new. It’s just an old, barbaric, discredited idea that’s failed every time it’s been tried. Just look at Cuba and Venezuela and the many families who fled those brutal regimes to live in Florida."
Scott said that during his time in political office he worked to ensure that families in Florida could achieve the American Dream, including good jobs, education and safe communities.
"That is the American Dream and it is deeply unfortunate that it is completely slipping away in New York," he said. "New York families deserve better."
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.