Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) took aim at progressive Democrats this week, arguing that their influence is holding up a key defense bill and pushing the party toward what he called “crazy ideas.” In a Fox News interview and a post on X, Scott singled out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) as a driving force behind Democratic opposition to the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual bill that sets U.S. defense priorities.

“You’d have to ask the Democrats. Every Republican, we support it,” Scott said of the defense bill. “But I don’t think it’s going to change.” He added that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is “so afraid of AOC and the Socialist Democrats that they will they’re going along with all these crazy ideas that they have defunding the military, defunding law enforcement, free everything under the sun.”

Scott also warned against the broader dangers of socialism, saying, “If you look at socialism, it always ends up in a government and dictating everything.” In his X post, he wrote: “Socialism means government dictating every single thing in your life. That can’t happen in this country. It’s more important than ever to fight for the American dream and our freedom. We CAN’T let the radical left drive us into the ground.”

The defense bill isn’t the only point of contention. Last month, Schumer said Democrats blocked a voter database system linked to President Donald Trump after a federal judge ruled it violated privacy protections and federal law. Democrats have also vowed to keep opposing the GOP-backed SAVE Act, which they argue could restrict voting access. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) criticized the SAVE America Act, warning that its requirement for documents like passports or birth certificates could create barriers for millions of eligible voters, especially seniors.

Scott’s comments reflect a deepening partisan divide over both defense and voting rights, with each side accusing the other of undermining core American values. For now, the defense bill remains stalled, and the political battle shows no signs of cooling down.