Republicans are growing more worried about the midterms — and the continued controversies of President Donald Trump — and that could be key in Florida's U.S. Senate race, providing more confidence to incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson.

By contrast there's less confidence emanating from Rick Scott's camp. Tucked inside of a New York Times story about the fallout from Alabama was this nugget:

"And if other potential Republican Senate recruits are daunted by the forbidding political environment, it could hamper their ability to win some of the Democratic-controlled seats they have been eyeing for months. In Florida, for example, advisers to Gov. Rick Scott said he was mindful of the midterm climate and was not yet sold on challenging Senator Bill Nelson."

And here's former Marco Rubio spokesman Alex Conant in Politico:

"I worry that the Senate is in play. I didn't think that before yesterday. If the political environment is still like this in 11 months, Democrats might be able to defend their incumbents and pick up the seats they need out west."

Scott has frozen out other challengers to Nelson and has made every move to prepare for a campaign, so bear that in mind. But the changing political landscape and his attachment to Trump is a complicating factor.

Nelson, 75, is seeking his fourth term and if Democrats can capture control of the Senate he'd stand to become chairman of the Commerce Committee, a role he was denied in the 2016 election.

"With all this craziness," he told the Tampa Bay Times in September, "I can't walk away."