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Marco Rubio to seek re-election to Florida Senate seat Marco Rubio to seek re-election to Florida Senate seat
(about 5 hours later)
Marco Rubio will seek re-election to a second term, he announced on Wednesday, marking a reversal from the Florida senator’s repeated vows to become a private citizen after the failure of his presidential campaign in March. Marco Rubio will seek re-election to a second term in the US Senate, he announced on Wednesday, marking a reversal from his repeated vows to become a private citizen after the failure of his presidential campaign in March.
“In politics, admitting you’ve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes,” Rubio said in a statement. “I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Senate.”“In politics, admitting you’ve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes,” Rubio said in a statement. “I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Senate.”
Rubio’s decision, which will shake up one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, caps off weeks of speculation about his political future. It also provides a boon to Republicans who mounted a campaign to draft Rubio into the Florida contest, seeing him as one of their best hopes to retain a majority in the Senate. Rubio’s decision, which will shake up one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, caps off weeks of speculation about his political future. And while it provides a boon to Republicans, who see Rubio as one of their best hopes to retain a majority in the Senate, it also inextricably ties his fortunes to Donald Trump as the party’s standard-bearer in November.
Rubio acknowledged in his announcement that he was falling back on a pledge to leave the Senate in January, but cited his dissatisfaction with the two presumptive presidential nominees as reason to stay in the chamber and try to shape the direction of the country. Rubio, who has endorsed Trump, acknowledged that he was breaking a pledge to leave the Senate in January. But he cited his dissatisfaction with both Trump and Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, as reason to stay in the chamber and try to shape the direction of the country.
“I have often said that the US Senate can be a frustrating place. And it’s true,” Rubio said. “After witnessing the gridlock that grips Washington, I think just about every American – Democrat or Republican – would agree.” Standing by his support for Trump, Rubio nevertheless told CNN he viewed his Senate seat as a way to “act as a check and balance on the next president ... even against a president in my own party”.
But control of the Senate, he added, “may very well come down to the race in Florida”. The senator also stated he did not plan to campaign with Trump, whose effect on down-ballot races may well prove toxic in November.
“That means the future of the supreme court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the direction of our country’s fiscal and economic policies will be determined by this Senate seat. The stakes for our nation could not be higher.” “I think the differences between us on key issues are so significant that ... I’ve got to run my own race,” Rubio said. “I have my own identity. I have my own position on issues.”
Last week, Rubio also cited the terrorist attack in Orlando as an event that led him to rethink his role in public service. After weeks of insisting he had not changed his mind, the senator told reporters on Capitol Hill he was headed home to have an earnest discussion with his family and would return with a final verdict. But Rubio reiterated his intention to vote for Trump, and signaled he would not go out of his way to undermine his former opponent in a way that might help Clinton.
Rubio’s decision, two days before Florida’s 24 June filing deadline, will have significant repercussions for a Senate race that comprises a crowded Republican field. It has already led to the ouster of Florida’s lieutenant governor, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a close friend of Rubio’s for more than 20 years. Rubio had cited his loyalty to Lopez-Cantera as one of the main reasons he was reticent to enter the race – but following the Orlando massacre, it was reportedly Lopez-Cantera who urged Rubio to reconsider re-election. “It’s a choice between someone who I disagree with on a lot of things and someone who I disagree with on everything, and it’s not the choice I wanted,” Rubio said.
David Jolly, a congresswoman who was seeking Rubio’s seat, announced late last week that he would drop out of the race. Ron DeSantis, also a representative from Florida, had said he would re-evaluate his options if Rubio decided to run. Rubio’s decision, two days before Florida’s 24 June filing deadline, has already resulted in significant repercussions for a Senate race that until his entry comprised a crowded Republican field. Two GOP candidates – congressman Ron DeSantis and the state’s attorney general, Carlos Lopez-Cantera – confirmed on Wednesday they would bow out of the contest following Rubio’s announcement.
At least one candidate, businessman Carlos Beruff, signaled that a primary would not be as smooth as Rubio and his allies might hope. Reacting to Rubio’s announcement, Beruff said voters were fed up with the status quo. Rubio had previously cited his loyalty to Lopez-Cantera as one of the main reasons he was reticent to enter the race – but following the 12 June massacre in Orlando, Lopez-Cantera said he himself urged Rubio to reconsider re-election.
“Career politicians like Marco Rubio worry more about keeping the job than doing the job and are constantly looking for their next political promotion,” he said. “This isn’t Marco Rubio’s seat, this is Florida’s seat.” Representative David Jolly, another GOP contender for Rubio’s seat, announced late last week that he would drop out of the race. The main source of defiance came from businessman Carlos Beruff, who vowed to pour as much as $15m into a primary campaign to defeat Rubio.
“The power brokers in Washington think they can control this race. They think they can tell the voters of Florida who their candidates are,” Beruff added. “But the voters of Florida will not obey them.” “Career politicians like Marco Rubio worry more about keeping the job than doing the job and are constantly looking for their next political promotion,” Beruff said in a statement Wednesday. “This isn’t Marco Rubio’s seat, this is Florida’s seat.”
During the Republican presidential primary, Rubio was walloped by Donald Trump in his home state – leading to the termination of his campaign in March. Rubio won just one of Florida’s 67 counties, his home of Miami-Dade, in a bruising loss that foreshadowed the challenges he might face in his bid to hold on to his Senate seat. During the Republican presidential primary, Rubio was walloped by Donald Trump in his home state – leading to the termination of his campaign in March. Rubio won just one of Florida’s 67 counties, his home of Miami-Dade, in a bruising 19-point loss that foreshadowed other challenges he might face in his bid to hold on to his Senate seat.
Polling has none the less shown Rubio as the most competitive Republican contender against Patrick Murphy, the most likely Democratic opponent in November. Alex Conant, the former spokesman for Rubio’s presidential campaign who will now serve as an adviser to his Senate bid, conceded the race would be competitive. But he pointed to the obvious advantages associated with Rubio’s name recognition – from a vast donor network to a widespread grassroots following.
In a sign of an ugly battle ahead, Murphy over the weekend attacked Rubio as one of the country’s “most homophobic” senators, saying the senator was exploiting the mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando that left 49 dead and another 53 injured. “Marco enters the race in a much stronger position than he did six years ago,” Conant said, while adding that a new poll showing Rubio comfortably ahead of likely Democratic opponent Patrick Murphy reaffirmed that the senator “is excellently positioned to win”.
Murphy responded swiftly to Rubio’s re-election news on Wednesday with a statement dubbing the senator as “only out for himself”. Murphy, a member of the House of Representatives, previewed an ugly battle ahead over the weekend by attacking Rubio as one of the country’s “most homophobic” senators and accusing him of exploiting for political gain the mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando that left 49 dead and another 53 injured.
Murphy responded swiftly to Rubio’s re-election news on Wednesday with a statement dubbing the senator “only out for himself”.
“Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he’s treating them like a consolation prize,” Murphy said.“Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he’s treating them like a consolation prize,” Murphy said.
Democrats are eager to seize upon Rubio’s prior criticisms of the Senate while running for president. During his campaign, Rubio routinely sought to tap into voter frustration with Washington by expressing his own disenchantment with political leaders in both parties.Democrats are eager to seize upon Rubio’s prior criticisms of the Senate while running for president. During his campaign, Rubio routinely sought to tap into voter frustration with Washington by expressing his own disenchantment with political leaders in both parties.
“Never in our history has Washington been more out of touch,” he declared.“Never in our history has Washington been more out of touch,” he declared.
Defending his then abysmal attendance record in the Senate, Rubio in essence made the case that the body had little influence in moving policy.Defending his then abysmal attendance record in the Senate, Rubio in essence made the case that the body had little influence in moving policy.
“I have missed votes this year,” Rubio said at a Republican debate in October. “You know why? Because while as a senator I can help shape the agenda. Only a president can set the agenda.“I have missed votes this year,” Rubio said at a Republican debate in October. “You know why? Because while as a senator I can help shape the agenda. Only a president can set the agenda.
“We’re not going to fix America with senators and congressmen,” he added.“We’re not going to fix America with senators and congressmen,” he added.
But after his devastating loss in the Florida primary, Rubio returned to the Senate with renewed vigor, and has squarely focused on issues affecting the state, including the Zika virus, the Puerto Rico debt crisis and sub-par publicly subsidized housing. Rubio’s colleagues hardly took the criticism to heart. Led by the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, Republicans mounted a pressure campaign in recent weeks to persuade him to run for re-election.
Whether it will be enough to persuade voters a second time remains to be seen. While victory would help Rubio secure a triumphant comeback, a second loss in his home state could all but end his political career. And as Rubio announced his decision on Wednesday, even his former presidential rivals were quick to jump on board.
Texas senator Ted Cruz, Ohio governor John Kasich, and even former Florida governor Jeb Bush – who bitterly sparred with Rubio in the Republican primary – all offered their stamp of approval. Trump had already expressed his enthusiasm for a second Rubio term in a tweet late last month.
Poll data shows that @marcorubio does by far the best in holding onto his Senate seat in Florida. Important to keep the MAJORITY. Run Marco!
Whether voters in Florida can be as convinced to give Rubio a second chance remains to be seen. The senator’s efforts to mend his image in his home state began immediately after his exit from the presidential race, as he returned to the Senate with renewed vigor and began to squarely focus on issues affecting Florida, including the Zika virus, the Puerto Rico debt crisis and subpar publicly subsidized housing.
While victory would help Rubio secure a triumphant comeback, a second loss in his home state could all but end his political career.
Rubio declined on Wednesday to rule out seeking the presidency once more – even as early as 2020. The senator simply stated he was done making “unequivocal pronunciations” after reversing course on the Senate race, having memorably tweeted just last month: “I have only said like 10,000 times I will be a private citizen in January.”
Rubio did, however, appear willing to accept the notion that he was wagering his political future on one of the most volatile election cycles in modern history.
“If my plan was to run for president in 2020, jumping into a race like this, with all the political risks associated with it, would not be the decision one would make,” Rubio said in his interview with CNN.
“I’m fully prepared to have the US Senate be the last political job that I ever have.”