adminThree months after ending his presidential campaign, Marco Rubio announced yesterday he will run for re-election to the U.S. Senate. While campaigning for the presidency, Rubio repeatedly asserted he would not seek re-election to the Senate, but amid GOP concerns about maintaining control of the majority Republican legislative branch, Rubio reversed course and will throw his hat in the ring.
“In politics, admitting you’ve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes,” Rubio said. “I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Senate.”
The move had apparently been in the works for more than a week, as speculation hit a fever pitch following a meeting with Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera. That meeting, and other indicators set in motion hopes to clear the Republican field in what is sure to be a heated Senate race. David Jolly announced last Friday that he would leave the Republican primary and instead seek re-election to his District 13 congressional seat, where he will face former Gov. Charlie Crist. Lopez-Cantera dropped out, as did Congressman Ron DeSantis, who will now seek re-election to his district 6 Congressional seat. Republicans Carlos Beruff and Todd Wilcox have vowed to stay in the race.
Florida’s primary election is Aug. 30. Democratic Congressmen Patrick Murphy and Alan Grayson will face off for their party’s nomination.
