Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy will go head-to-head with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio in November. The two men emerged as the winners in their respective primaries.
Patrick Murphy emerged as the winner of the Democratic U.S. Senate Primary, besting fellow Congressman Alan Grayson who has been dogged by domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife. Murphy also managed to beat Pam Keith, whose late endorsement from the Miami Herald wasn’t enough to drive momentum. Murphy will now face incumbent U.S. Senator Marco Rubio for the seat.
Murphy campaign volunteer Joe Buch says Rubio’s failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination is a good sign for his candidate.
“Rubio didn’t make out too good even on his own turf, so I think there’s a certain lack of confidence in the Florida population about him," he said in an interview with Florida Public Radio station WMFE in Orlando. "They’ve had a chance to see what he does. He doesn’t work a lot. You know, he doesn’t come to work a lot. He doesn’t vote.”
Rubio has weathered criticism on his voting record—one of the worst in the Senate. And he’s also had to overcome a late entry to the race after losing the GOP Presidential primary. He still managed to handily beat challenger Carlos Beruff, and And Rubio supporter Carlos Cabrera says Rubio is the only candidate for the seat:
“He is very important in the Senate because if we lose the Senate, the country is going to be controlled by Supreme Court justices that are going to issue laws of their own for a generation," he told FPR station WLRN in Miami.
Both men may have challenges winning over their former competitors though. Congressman Alan Grayson says he won’t back Murphy in November.
