Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) has announced that he will run for the Senate seat currently held by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Rubio is expected to run for President in lieu of a re-election bid, however that has not stopped Murphy from attacking Rubio. In his introductory statement, Murphy blasted Rubio for focusing on a potential presidential run rather than his Floridian constituents. Murphy then pledged to be a Senator who would focus on Florida. He also touted his own moderate record and said he would be a pragmatic Senator.
Murphy is seen as a top-tier candidate for the Democrats. He is a centrist who knocked off Rep. Allen West (R) in 2012 and successfully held onto the seat in 2014. His district is Republican and Democrats have thought that he might be able to flip the seat. Republicans have been waiting for a Rubio announcement before announcing any plans themselves.
Murphy’s campaign website has been updated to reflect his Senate seat.
Read Murphy’s announcement:
“I’ve spent the last several months considering the best way I can continue to serve the people of Florida, and today, after much thought and discussion with people from across this state, I’m proud to announce that I will be a candidate for the United States Senate in 2016.
“I’m a CPA and small businessman — not a career politician — who saw the dysfunction in Washington and decided to do something about it. I’m running for the U.S. Senate for the same reason I ran for Congress in 2012 — Washington is full of hyper-partisan politicians who can’t, or won’t, get anything done, and Florida deserves better. I’m a consensus-builder who is working to boost the economy by cutting waste in government, raise the minimum wage, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and protect the Everglades. I’ve done all of this by being an independent voice for Florida, and that’s what the Senate needs more of right now.
“For years, Senator Rubio has put his presidential ambitions before the needs of the people of this state. We need a leader in the Senate whose eyes are firmly fixed on the people of Florida by working together to get things done. In the coming months, I look forward to meeting Floridians across the state to listen, earn their trust, and ask for their support.”