Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to announce very soon that he will be going all on a run for the GOP 2016 Presidential nomination. He has told a number of his supporters and financial backers that he will not run at the same time to keep his Senate seat.
So, as you might expect both the state Democrats and Republicans are both looking to find a candidate that could fill Rubio’s seat. There are two men who have emerged as the early favorites to battle it for Rubio’s place in Washington, D.C.
Congressman Patrick Murphy, is the top pick of Senate Democratic leadership, and his likely opponent will be Republican Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera. While both Murphy and Lopez-Cantrea are the early front runners, they are not the only people who are considering running for the seat when and if Rubio follows through on his presidential aspirations.
Jeff Atwater, Florida’s elected chief financial officer, has been quick to point out that some early polls show him beating Murphy. Two other big names who once considered a run look now like they will set this out. Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, for now does not seem to be interested and former Gov. Charlie Crist is leaning against making a run at Rubio’s seat.
Should Rubio actually make the choice to run for the GOP Presidential nomination and not seek re-election look for him to support his long time friend and neighbor Lopez-Cantrea as his handpicked successor.
For now everything remains in the “get ready mode,” we will have to wait and see what is Sen. Rubio’s next move is and he could change his mind about keeping the seat. Presently, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is also expected to join the 2016 GOP Presidential field but he will also attempt to keep his seat in the Senate.
Should in the end Rubio wish to seek re-election then the Democrats will still likely run Murphy as their candidate regardless of who the GOP nominee would be in 2016.