Florida Gov. Rick Scott told CNBC on Thursday his choice for president is clear — because Donald Trump will eradicate the Islamic State terror group, which inspired the gunman who carried out the massacre at the Orlando gay night club.
In an interview with "Squawk Box" from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Scott said Democrat Hillary Clinton had her chance to wipe out IS when she was President Barack Obama's secretary of state but failed.
"Think about what's happened in my state, with the ISIS-inspired terrorist shooting ... in Orlando," Scott said. "It's ISIS. Who's going to stop ISIS? Donald Trump wants to do it. Hillary Clinton had her shot and absolutely failed in doing it."
Trump will also be a great partner for governors to get the economy back on track and help create more jobs, asserted Scott, who said he talks to the billionaire businessman every week or two.
"I talked to him [Friday] right after he picked Mike Pence" as his vice presidential running mate, Scott said. Noting Pence's tenure on Capitol Hill, Scott said the Indiana governor was a "good choice."
The governor dodged multiple questions about Ted Cruz's nonendorsement of Trump in his Wednesday night speech, which ended with the Texas senator being booed off the stage.
Scott also evaded directly responding to Ohio Gov. John Kasich's refusal to back Trump and attend the convention in his own state. He did say the Republican Party needs to unite around Trump, saying a refusal to endorse the GOP's nominee means support for Clinton.
The Florida Republican also touched on these themes when he addressed the convention Wednesday evening.