It's increasingly clear that if and when Gov. Rick Scott finally revs the engine on his campaign for U.S. Senate, he will face attacks not just from Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson but also from countless other Democrats up and down the ballot in Florida.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine of Miami Beach has an anti-offshore drilling TV ad airing that scoff's at Florida's "governor who denies climate change." St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman similarly aired TV ads tying challenger Rick Baker to Scott to depict Baker as an extremist weak on climate change.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Chris King, Gwen Graham and Andrew Gillum are all over the state accusing Scott of doing little to grow Florida out of a low-wage economy, of failing to protect nursing home residents during Hurricane Irma and embracing tax policies that help large corporations far more than working Floridians.

"A majority of Florida's counties, especially those in rural areas, are actually worse off today than they were before the recession hit. Nearly half of Florida households (45 percent) qualify as working poor and struggle to afford even basic necessities like health care, transportation and housing despite being employed," declares the Democratic For Our Future Action Fund's website, ricksrecession.com, citing data from the Florida Chamber Foundation.

The economy and management of the state are widely seen as the strongest parts of Scott's image, but those are among the chief targets for Democrats. The super wealthy, former hospital chain CEO is not only a tireless money-raiser but has the ability at any time to put tens of millions of dollars into a campaign. He is likely to have a significant financial edge over Nelson in a U.S. Senate race, but Nelson's spending should be amplified considerably by the anti-Scott message coming from other Democrats running for local, state and federal office slamming the direction Florida has headed under Scott and two decades of one-party rule.

Ironically, the growing chorus of attacks on Scott — and increasingly common speculation that he might not run against Nelson after all — comes as Democrats and Republicans alike say their internal polling shows Scott perceived especially well among Florida voters. His ubiquitous presence on TV during Hurricane Irma helped his image considerably.

"I'm not a candidate. I've been clear that I haven't decided what I'm going to do," Scott told the Advocate newspaper in Louisiana during a recent job-poaching trip.

The safe bet is that Scott will run. Democrats would be wise to avoid underestimating him, and Scott would be wise not to underestimate his vulnerability.