WASHINGTON – In his zeal to carry the Democratic line that Gov. Rick Scott is in politics to serve himself, Sen. Bill Nelson dropped some innuendo the other day when Scott announced a high speed rail project.

"It wouldn't come as a surprise if he's trying to make money off this, knowing how's he's enriched himself as governor," Nelson wrote on his campaign twitter account.

Another example of the poor job Rick Scott has done as governor. It only took a flip-flop and 7 years for him to figure out Florida needs high-speed rail. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if he's trying to make money off this, knowing how he’s enriched himself as governor. — Bill Nelson (@NelsonForSenate) June 23, 2018

But when the Tampa Bay Times asked about the statement, Nelson only offered more speculation.

"Why wouldn't he be profiting in this on the basis of his M.O., which is that he's been involved in other companies that have been doing business with the state," said Nelson, who is in the fight for his political life against Scott.

Searching through his phone for an email, Nelson cited several reports, including one from the Tampa Bay Times describing Scott interests in companies that have opposed climate change and another detailing a stake in Spectra Energy, which was chosen to build a $3 billion natural gas pipeline in Florida.

A spokesman for the Republican governor, McKinley Lewis, noted that Scott put his assets in a blind trust after taking office in 2011, "so they would be under the control of an independent financial professional. As such, the Governor has no knowledge of anything that is bought or changed in the trust."

A Times review of Scott's 2013 disclosure did not reveal stock in Florida East Coast Industries, which owns Brightline, or other rail-related stocks. And Scott's net worth has gone down and then up during his time in office.

Even so, the blind trust has raised questions and Democrats are eager to see Scott's financial disclosure with the U.S. Senate — which he has delayed until late July — to ferret out suspicions.

The timing of Scott's announcement also led to charges of election-year pandering from Democrats, given that the project was pitched three months ago. But Nelson took a leap with his speculation on a profit motive."I said it very carefully based on his past history," he offered.

Nelson's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

"This is just Bill Nelson going negative because he wanted to put taxpayer dollars on the line to fund a massive government project," Scott's campaign said. "Through private investment, Governor Scott is ensuring this project has zero financial risk to Florida taxpayers. While Bill Nelson is for growing government, Governor Scott is for growing jobs."

Read more: Court fight continues on Rick Scott's blind trust. Tallahassee lawyer argues for disclosure.

Times/Herald staff writer Lawrence Mower contributed to this report.