Lee GOP to host political discussion with Tito Ortiz, Roger Stone, and Madison Cawthorn

Rick Scott cancels Naples campaign event after red tide protesters confront him in Venice

Gov. Rick Scott's "Make Washington Work Bus Tour" was supposed to end Tuesday in his hometown of Naples, but his campaign canceled the event after red tide protesters confronted him in Venice.

Naples Lumber and Supply, which Scott has praised in the past for creating jobs, was expecting the U.S. Senate candidate Tuesday morning, but Scott's regional political director Katie Larsen called the business about 5 p.m. Monday to cancel without explanation, a Naples Lumber representative said. The bus tour ended in Orlando instead.

In this April 9, 2018, file photo at a news conference in Orlando, Florida Gov. Rick Scott announces his bid to run for the U.S. Senate.

The cancellation came just hours after dozens of red tide protesters showed up at Scott's rally in Venice, forcing the governor to enter the venue through the back door and leave the same way after 10 minutes as members of the crowd shouted “coward," according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

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The protesters blamed "Red Tide Rick" and his environmental policies for creating the toxic red tide algal bloom that's plagued the west coast of Florida, including Naples and other parts of Collier County along with Lee County, for almost a year.

Scott spokesman Chris Hartline did not say the cancellation of the Naples event was related to red tide or the negative reception in Venice.

Gov. Rick Scott's "Make Washington Work Bus Tour" was supposed to end Tuesday in his hometown of Naples, but his campaign canceled the event just hours after red tide protesters confronted him in Venice, bringing the tour to a close in Orlando instead.

"Governor Scott travels across the state every day and has campaigned in all 67 counties — his schedule is updated regularly and the event you are referring to was not finalized, publicized, or noticed," Hartline wrote in an email sent Tuesday afternoon to the Daily News.

However, Collier County GOP posted about the event on its Facebook page Monday morning.

Collier County GOP Chairman Ron Kezeske, in an email Tuesday afternoon, blamed "unforeseen circumstances" for the canceled Naples event. 

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Hartline said Scott still came to Southwest Florida, but rather than make a public appearance, he met privately with supporters and local elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, who spent some time on Scott's campaign bus.

Later in the day Scott announced that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is providing an additional $4 million in grant funding to assist local communities affected by red tide.

Tuesday isn't the first time Scott has canceled a campaign event; he also canceled a Panhandle event that drew about a dozen protesters opposed to a bill he signed earlier this year that has raised concerns about public access to beaches.

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