sarasota fla. pundits say never chance high-powered u.s. businessman never run office largely finance campaign take hard line illegal immigration obamacare attack islam controversial six years ago businessman rick scott florida republican primary governor go take general election second term scott many ways prototype donald trump u.s. presidential campaign scott success florida something give serious pause marco rubio u.s. senator state hop use springboard unseat trump lead contender republican nomination nov. election florida march 15 primary select wealth delegate republicans july nominate convention likely final chance rubio perhaps republican establishment halt furious advance trump billionaire businessman home new york florida trump two lead strategists florida strong tie scott rebut commonly hold presumption among trump critics campaign former reality tv show host celebrity popular appeal tactics nobody think shoot nobody say joe gruters top republican party official state early ally scott co-chairs trump florida effort establishment throw everything imagine rick scott first-term senator rubio finish behind trump early-nomination contest date rubio grow miami cuban-american heritage could give edge state burgeon latino population rubio still climb uphill state race benefit withdrawal race another florida son ex-governor jeb bush trail trump significantly quinnipiac university survey release thursday show trump 44 percent republican vote rubio far behind 28 percent good news rubio high level support state suggest move upward need may enough many voters cast early absentee ballot command lead like trump state ability focus state like florida know deliver knockout blow gruters say republicans campaign early-voting state trump serve notice take win florida seriously methodically hold large-scale events across florida include one october miami home rubio bush bush rubio come florida largely raise money closed-door fundraisers big difference 10,000 people show rally hear battle cry get motivate gruters say meet people 10,000-a-plate dinners exclude rank-and-file members bush campaign poor shape near end reuters correspondent visit state campaign office tampa desert staff volunteer send south carolina primary vote unsuccessful last-ditch effort rescue presidential bid gruters vice-chairman state republican party make perhaps highest-ranking party official country embrace trump head trump florida effort susie wiles jacksonville run scott 2010 campaign say see strong similarities scott trump unusual florida elect non-establishment guy say scott former ceo columbia/hca healthcare giant ultimately settle massive bill fraud case bring u.s. government tenure enter 2010 republican primary assumption attorney general bill mccollum race lose finance campaign scott run hard mccollum right support arizona highly controversial anti-immigration law release ad rip president barack obama defend possible mosque new york near site sept. 11 2001 attack like trump scott portray businessman good suit repair distress economy republican establishment bring kind attitude government say susan macmanus political science professor university south florida business person run government good professional politicians trump contribute 125,000 scott political-action committee since 2012. speculate scott could serve trump vice presidential nominee may serve another lesson trump scott remain highly polarize figure relationship state legislature prickly approval rat never cross 50 percent enter politics half state voters like macmanus say never go much beyond that bush departure presidential race leave rubio fly establishment flag local supporters say already make huge difference term support money bush divide vote tom rooney u.s. congressman florida chair rubio campaign tell reuters issue anymore rubio campaign florida elsewhere court trump voters believe unlikely switch instead rooney say idea woo 60-65 percent party far support trump end rubio play catch-up open new offices secure bevy endorsements local politicians rooney concede rubio console second-place finish place iowa south carolina enough florida especially give winner get state 99 delegate get winner-take-all state rooney say come second say well report jam oliphant edit howard goller article fund part sap independently create reuters editorial staff sap editorial involvement creation production florida donald trump model success