Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), who's running for Senate, broke with President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Thursday, pushing back on the president's claim that hurricane death estimates for Puerto Rico were inflated by Democrats.

Puerto Rico's government commissioned an independent report that raised the death toll from last year's Hurricane Maria to 2,975.

"The loss of any life is tragic; the extent of lives lost as a result of Maria is heart wrenching," Scott tweeted.

I disagree with @POTUS– an independent study said thousands were lost and Gov. Rosselló agreed. I've been to Puerto Rico 7 times & saw devastation firsthand. The loss of any life is tragic; the extent of lives lost as a result of Maria is heart wrenching. I'll continue to help PR — Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) September 13, 2018

Trump on Thursday accused Democrats, without evidence, of inflating the death toll in order “to make me look bad."

ADVERTISEMENT

Approximately 1.2 million Puerto Ricans are now living in Florida, making them a key voting bloc heading into the midterm elections.

A Quinnipiac University poll from early September showed Scott in a dead heat with Sen. Bill Nelson Clarence (Bill) William NelsonDemocrats sound alarm on possible election chaos Trump, facing trouble in Florida, goes all in NASA names DC headquarters after agency's first Black female engineer Mary W. Jackson MORE (D) in the Senate race, with both candidates tied at 49 percent among likely voters.

Scott in recent weeks has been distancing himself from Trump, whose approval rating is 49 percent, with disapproval at 47 percent, according to a Morning Consult poll from August.

Trump has been largely supportive of Scott, urging him last year to run against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Trump spoke at a campaign rally for Scott in July.

Updated at 12:53 p.m.