Rick Scott suspects he was booted from his preferred committee in an act of retribution by Mitch McConnell — after the Florida senator challenged the longtime GOP leader for his post.

Scott says he’s figured out a novel strategy to deal with the alleged snub: He’s teaming up with another leading McConnell nemesis, Ted Cruz.

“I’m gonna get my stuff done. I work well with Ted Cruz, and he’s the ranking member” on the Senate Commerce Committee, Scott said in an interview. “So I’ll just work with him.”

Most of Congress’ intraparty feuds are fleeting, especially when margins of control are as close as they are in the House and Senate these days. Any standoff that lasts longer than a few days risks ceding power to the other party.

But Scott and McConnell’s split is going the distance.

Over the past year, Scott has managed to dislodge Cruz as the biggest thorn in McConnell’s side, no small feat. The Florida senator’s performance as chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm and Scott’s own competing legislative agenda, which McConnell felt compelled to disavow — has sparked a nearly yearlong row between the two GOP senators.

And it’s more than a mere personality conflict for Republicans. Scott’s challenge of McConnell for leader has factionalized the GOP in a manner not seen since Cruz set the table to run for president a decade ago by taking on McConnell every chance he had. McConnell may have easily dispatched Scott — the final tally was 37-10 — but the fact that McConnell now knows 10 Republican senators were ready to oust him has made his job more complicated.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023.