Florida’s Marco Rubio Retains Seat In Senate
The numbers are in and Marco Rubio has retained his seat against challenger Patrick Murphy.
After running for president, Rubio conceded in the primaries to GOP nominee Donald Trump, and had doubts about running again. However, he decided to run for a second term and may have helped stave off the Democrats from getting a majority in the Senate.
It’s a bright spot for Rubio, who got a late start on Murphy and faced a lot of criticism for his decision to change his mind.
“America has never had an easy era,” Rubio said in his victory speech. “ And Florida hasn’t had an easy era. For while we still have time to get this right, we don’t have forever. I know, in the end, that America won’t be saved by politicians. I hope that God gives me the opportunity and the voice to make that happen. Let us work together.”
Rubio’s win wasn’t really in doubt and Murphy didn’t present much of a challenge as many expected Rubio to win. However, he faced a lot of scrutiny from major Democratic players such as President Barack Obama for his endorsement, however reluctant, of Trump. During the Republican primary, the Florida senator called Trump a “con artist” and President Obama made sure to mention those harsh words.
“I changed my mind,” Rubio said frankly in an interview with months ago. “I honestly believe that no matter who is elected president we’re going to need a Senate full of people willing to act as a check and balance on the excesses of the next president, and I think given the state of this race we’re going to have a lot of that over the next few years.”
There has been some speculation that Rubio would try and hop on for the 2020 election cycle. This would mean that he wouldn’t finish his term as Senator. His opponent used that in many attack ads claiming that Rubio was absent from his Senate seat. However, he has quashed that speculation—for now.
“If I were running for president in 2020, jumping into this race is not the decision most people would advise,” Rubio said in that same CNN interview. “I’m coming back to be a U.S. senator and give my time and energy and have a Senate that can act as a check and balance on whoever is elected president.”
