As Gov. Rick Scott cites Florida's economic recovery, many in Sunshine State feel left behind

By many measures, Republican Rick Scott has a strong case for a second-term as Florida governor.

The former businessman has reduced taxes, cut regulations and recruited businesses to help revive the economy.

Florida is bouncing back, and Scott is claiming credit for adding 613,000 jobs and cutting unemployment to 6.1 percent.

But along a stretch of central Florida, a crucial battleground in the state, the numbers are little more than an abstraction to voters who see a tepid turnaround.

That's a main reason that Scott and incumbents from both parties are struggling to hold onto their offices five years after the end of the recession.

Polls show Scott neck and neck with Democrat Charlie Crist, who's been highlighting the state's uneven recovery.