President Barack Obama doubled down on his support of Congressman Patrick Murphy’s Senate bid, showcasing his backing in a new TV ad.
The Murphy campaign team released the ad on Wednesday. Earlier in the year, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden endorsed Murphy over Congressman Alan Grayson in the Democratic primary.
“With all that's at stake, we need Patrick Murphy in the Senate,” Obama says in the ad. “Patrick's a strong progressive who's fought special interests on behalf of working families – and won. It's why they're attacking him. Don't believe the negative attacks. I've counted on Patrick to protect Social Security. To fight for a woman's right to choose. And to stand up to the gun lobby to reduce gun violence. I count on Patrick Murphy. You can too.”
“I am humbled and honored that President Obama is proudly supporting our campaign to fight for Florida families,” Murphy said on Wednesday. “The president knows that Florida needs a leader in the Senate who shows up for work and fights for our shared priorities, like protecting Social Security and Medicare, fighting for a woman’s right to choose, and standing up to the gun lobby to reduce gun violence.”
Obama wasn’t the only big name Democrat going to bat for Murphy on Wednesday. Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the victim of a shooting in 2013, and her husband retired astronaut and Navy veteran Captain Mark Kelly, now pushing gun control though the Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC (ARS PAC), endorsed Murphy on Wednesday.
“Congressman Murphy is the best person in this race to fight for the responsible steps we need to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, prevent gun tragedies, and make Florida communities safer,” Giffords and Kelly said in a joint statement. “Where Senator Rubio voted to protect the loopholes that let felons and domestic abusers get guns without a background check, Congressman Murphy will be a strong voice in the United States Senate for closing those dangerous loopholes in our laws that put our communities at risk. We need more leaders like Congressman Murphy – leaders who will protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners like us but who also have the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and stand up for common sense. We look forward to seeing Congressman Murphy be a voice for responsibility in the United States Senate.”
The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) fired back on Wednesday.
“Another day, another attempt to pull Patrick Murphy’s campaign out of its tailspin,” the NRSC emailed the media. “Obama says he ‘counted on Patrick to protect Social Security.’ But once again, the claim fails to pass the smell test. Murphy came into office as an advocate for slashing Social Security, telling CNN he supported “cuts across the board.”
“The strategy is a desperate maneuver to shore up Murphy’s left flank against Alan Grayson, but the three-time Tampa Bay Times ‘loser of the week’ isn’t fooling anyone,” the NRSC added."Murphy’s back-to-back bailouts from the Washington establishment are sure signs of a campaign on the ropes. Nearly a month after CBS Miami shredded him for falsifying and embellishing his entire resume, Murphy still hasn’t recovered – and now his friends in Washington are trying to clean up his mess.”
On the Republican side, Senator Marco Rubio faces businessman Carlos Beruff in next month’s primary.
