Officially, President Barack Obama is staying out of the Democratic primary in Florida’s U.S. Senate race. But the White House gave Patrick Murphy a bit of a boost last week.
The congressman joined a White House call praising Obama’s executive action on gun control. It was a bit of a different move for Murphy who has always been sure to showcase when he’s broken away from Obama and the Democrats on matters ranging from the Keystone XL Pipeline to backing the committee investigating Hillary Clinton’s handling of the Benghazi terrorist attacks.
Murphy faces a major challenge from the left in fellow Congressman Alan Grayson. With his high profile attacks against Republicans --including his recent announcement to launch a legal challenge to Ted Cruz’s ability to be president considering he was born in Canada -- Grayson has become a favorite of liberals across the nation and has a proven grassroots fundraising effort behind him.
But Murphy’s clearly the favorite of the Democratic establishment. He’s reeled in the support of most of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) and many of the party’s leaders in the Sunshine State.
Grayson’s been trying to get around to his left, but Murphy is showcasing his support for Obama’s actions on guns and that will help him win over wary liberals. The fact that Elizabeth Warren, increasingly a darling of liberals across the nation, was on the call, only helped Murphy on that front.
Democratic leaders both inside the Beltway and in Tallahassee know what’s at stake in Florida come November. It will be tough for Hillary Clinton to win the White House if she loses the Sunshine State, which remains the largest swing state in the Electoral College. Democrats have a chance -- an outside one to be sure -- of flipping the Senate, but that would be near impossible if they don’t pick up the seat in Florida.
Plenty of members of the Democratic establishment think Murphy is a far better option than Grayson. With his veers to the center and not being as combative as Grayson is, the Democratic bosses and officials think Murphy gives them a better shot at picking up the Senate seat than Grayson and, more importantly, won’t have as much potential dragging Clinton down in Florida. That’s why Democrats from Charlie Crist to Nan Rich, from Lois Frankel to Ted Deutch and the DSCC have hopped on the Murphy bandwagon. And, based on last week’s effort to give Murphy a bit of the spotlight and a prime forum to reassure cautious liberals, so has the Obama White House.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
