Marco Rubio is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate.
Numerous media sources reported on Wednesday that Rubio will run for a second term. Rubio had taken his name out of contention during his bid for the Republican presidential nomination but changed his mind after the jihadist attack in Orlando earlier this month.
National Republicans, including presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, urged Rubio to run for a second term, insisting it was needed to keep control of that seat as the GOP looks to retain the Senate. A Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday showed Rubio leading Democrats Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy while the other GOP hopefuls trailed them.
The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) also called on Rubio to run for a second term. Roger Wicker, the Mississippi senator who chairs the NRSC, weighed in on Wednesday after news broke that Rubio would run for a second term.
“Marco Rubio is a valued leader for Florida and for our country, and I welcome his decision to ask voters for the opportunity to serve once again,” Wicker said. “Senator Rubio has made a lasting impact when it comes to standing up against the failed Obama agenda and has articulated a clear vision for making our country safer and more prosperous. His campaign will have the full support of the NRSC.
“While Marco is already in a strong position to win, Democrats are currently locked in a bruising primary that will produce a weak nominee and cost millions of dollars,” Wicker added. “The Democrat establishment has gone all-in for Patrick Murphy, who has fabricated every piece of his resume except for the fact that he is a sitting Congressman and holds his office thanks to a family fortune. Alan Grayson is, in a word, unelectable. Neither candidate is a match for Marco Rubio, and I will be proud to have him as a member of our Republican majority for years to come.”
“Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he's treating them like a consolation prize. Unlike Marco Rubio, I love working hard every single day for the people of Florida," Murphy fired back. "From missing the most votes of any Florida senator in nearly 50 years, to seeking to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest, to repeatedly voting against closing the terrorist gun loophole, Rubio is proving he is only out for himself.
"Florida is ready for another senator like Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, who is committed to doing this job and who will work with people to fight for progressive values," Murphy added.
The news is expected to shake up the current Republican primary field. Tampa Bay Republican Congressman David Jolly pulled the plug on his Senate bid last week, opting to run for another term in the House. Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who urged Rubio to run again, is expected to bow out of the race now that his ally is in. Congressman Ron DeSantis could pull out as well to run for another term in the House. The deadline to file is noon on Friday.
But businessman Carlos Beruff and businessman and Army veteran Todd Wilcox have said they intend to stay in the Republican primary even with Rubio seeking another term. Beruff doubled down on that position on Wednesday.
“Voters all across this state are fed up with the status quo,” Beruff said. “Career politicians like Marco Rubio worry more about keeping the job than doing the job, and are constantly looking for their next political promotion. I have real world experience and will bring my business mindset to the massive problems facing our country, problems that have only gotten worse while Marco Rubio has been our senator.
“This isn’t Marco Rubio’s seat; this is Florida’s seat,” Beruff added. “The power brokers in Washington think they can control this race. They think they can tell the voters of Florida who their candidates are. But the voters of Florida will not obey them. Like Marco Rubio in 2010, I’m not going to back down from the Washington establishment. They are the problem, not the solution.”
