Scott retweeted
One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was merely OK, in other states it was downright amazing, and in no state was it catastrophic. There was a genuine sense of optimism on our team: our people were showing up.
So, I asked the smartest data guy I know, does that mean we're going to shock the world? "No," he told me. "We might do better than the polls suggest. But the data is telling us that a lot of Trump/Vance 2024 voters are pissed and planning to vote for the other guys. Our voters are turning out, but they may not vote for us."
Well, that looks prophetic now. Our voters did show up. In Florida, for example, the electorate was 9 points more Republican than Democrat, just a couple points worse than 2024. Undoubtedly there were places we could have done better on turnout. But the main problem is not turnout. The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026.
There will be a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why that is. One of the pollsters I really respect told me that our economic messaging wasn’t sharp enough down the stretch. I’m sure that’s true.
But the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone.
Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points. I felt negative going into Tuesday, but even I was shocked by this. In his polling, he saw that a lot of Trump 2024 voters were angry and planning to vote for Democrats. He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were:
1) End the war
2) Focus on cost of living/inflation
3) Put America First
4) Change our relationship to Israel
Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results. While many spent Monday attacking Rachel Campos Duffy for calling for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, it turns out her political advice was sound. (She’s also a great person.)
In the next few months, there's going to be a lot of gaslighting. Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement—by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you.
The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.
If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest.
But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.
I remain hopeful about our country. To the people who are pissed off and want to say, “I told you so”: you’re right, you did tell us so. Take that energy into electing Republicans who share your worldview. To the people who are just pissed at the results, you should be. Let’s take that anger and get back to the work of saving our country.
Scott retweeted
This guy said the quiet part out loud and you can feel his anger and disgust…
I couldn’t agree more..
Scott retweeted
seminoles.com/news/2026/11/1…
Now, I have your attention. Right?
Saturday night, I told you that a change was coming. Here are a couple of things I wanted to address regarding what happened yesterday:
1. Don't think for a second that Richard McCullough wanted to make this move. He had no choice, he was forced to make this move by those with the power above his head. Big money donors, Boosters, powerbrokers control the program and call the shots. Money talks and it spoke loudly on Saturday and into Sunday morning. The administration dragged their feet and was hoping to keep Norvell through 2027. But that loss against Clemson was the last straw for many that call the shots. While the administration put out a "canned pitch," this came from above their heads.
2. Despite what many think, I wish Coach Norvell the best going forward. Wish it could have worked out better, but there were some bright spots. Winning the bowl game against Oklahoma, beating Florida and Miami, beating LSU and Alabama, and winning the ACC in 2023. Unfortunately the losing seasons outweighed the winning moments. But don't think for a second I wish any ill-will on Coach Norvell. Coaches know in this business, you win or you're gone.
3. How the buyouts work? OK, everyone just assumes he is getting $50.3 million in one lump sum. Nope, it is paid over installments therefore FSU won't pay it out immediately. He also is going to be forced to seek other employment (as most of the contracts stipulate when it comes to buyout) and he will find a job pretty quickly (as in by January). Whichever school he heads to next, their agreed contract helps leverage the buyout for FSU. Hence, if he lands a coordinator position like Oregon, then his salary there would help offset the buyout at FSU (as in like 50.3 million minus what he would get if he took a job there for example purposes only). So while the buyout amount looks massive on headlines, it will be paid over installments and the FSU boosters/powerbrokers have the funds.
4. FSU is broke? This is why I hate social media is some instances. The answer is NO and HELL NO. FSU is not broke. Are they in debt from a capital financing of projects to build a FOF and improve Doak? Yes, but Penn State took on 700 million and UF is about to break over a billion on their stadium expansion. That debt is spread over time, so those schools are not broke either. Despite what you've been told, the boosters/powerbrokers have plenty of money to fund the football program. But they had no faith in Norvell, so they would not spend.
5. Jimbo Fisher will be the next head coach of Florida State. Mark that down, but Jimbo Fisher 2.0 is coming soon. Why? Because it makes the most financial sense. Jimbo would not require a buyout from another school (Texas A&M fired him in 2023, so they are paying him no matter what) and he's won at FSU before. Despite the lies and false narratives, the man can coach. Hell, he can recruit and develop too. That's what Norvell was not doing, but Jimbo can step in and bring FSU back to immediate relevance. The boosters and powerbrokers know he can win, they are willing to fund 8 figures into the NIL to back his recruiting and with his pedigree, they know FSU will back to national relevance within two years. FSU needs a proven winner, not another coach that may win. Expect him to be formally announced as the new head coach after the game with UF on Black Friday.
6. Florida State will win on Saturday against Boston College. Don't be shocked when Florida State shows up to Chestnut Hill and actually looks good in a road win over Boston College. Rick Stockstill can coach and him having a new DC in Ernie Sims should make the defense better. I had a feeling FSU was losing to Clemson, but I think the team rallies around Stockstill and the staff remaining and plays their best game of the season and finally gets a road win. Coaching changes had to be made, now the players should understand the gravity of what happened and respond with a win in Boston this weekend.
GO NOLES.
Scott retweeted
All it took to collapse an entire sect of gender ideology was two alpha males declaring they identify as women and entering the WNBA draft.
I’m going to show you the genius of what they just did.
The two ex-NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White didn’t argue against the absurd premise that gender is fluid. That’s a losing play.
The better play is to enter the illusion and destroy it by taking the illusion to the logical extreme. So that’s exactly what they did.
They embraced the premise that gender is fluid and took it to the logical extreme by declaring for the WNBA draft. Now they are forcing liberals to face the absurdity of their own ideology.
Gender ideology’s core claim is that sex is irrelevant and identity is sovereign. “Trans women are women.” Self-ID is enough.
Now the WNBA, which is in many ways a major liberal institution, faces a big dilemma. They have to either:
A: Allow the two to enter the WNBA draft. Admit “woman” is just a feeling (This is absurd and destroys the product).
or
B: Draw a line and say they don’t qualify. That concedes self-ID is not enough and biology matters. This would be a public abandonment of the liberal doctrine.
Either path burns the ideology to the ground, which is hilarious.
Take notes everyone. Two dudes literally just made one of the greatest persuasion plays of the decade.
Scott retweeted
🚨 STEPHEN A. SMITH NAILED IT PERFECTLY:
CALLER: Some of MAGA are mentally ill
SMITH: "Nope, nope, nope, don't talk to ME about mental illness on the side of the right — but you have people talking about transgender without parental consent!"
"And men transitioning to women and playing in women's sports, and thinking that that was OK!"
"And people could be incarcerated and they could have s*x changes and stuff like that. Oh, no, no, no!"
"You don't get to sit up there and just point to the right about that and not act like there wasn't craziness on the left too."
"[Democrats are] turning your back on black folks who supported you since the 60s. Don't get me started with all of that!"
"The extreme left is a DAMN PROBLEM! That's why 77 million people said Donald Trump is closer to normalcy than some of those folks!" 🔥
h/t @JasonJournoDC
We need a change. Norvell buyout would equate to an annual payment at or around $10m. The losses to revenue and from donatjons WILL exceed that if they don’t pull plug. Plus - the appeal for a higher Revenue earning conf dwindles. SEC nor B1G will not come calling for a loser program.
