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Pro-Life Sen. Marco Rubio announces he will seek a second term

Jun 22, 2016

By Dave Andrusko

MarcoRubio890rePro-lifers across the land breathed a sigh of relief this morning when pro-life Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) changed his mind, announcing he will seek a second term.

National Right to Life immediately endorsed him. (See “National Righto to Life endorses Sen. Marco Rubio.”)

When he withdrew from the Republican presidential contest in March, Sen. Rubio made clear he wanted to return to private life.

But the press of recent events, especially having to do with national security, and the insistence of national Republican leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), persuaded the 45-year-old Rubio to announce his decision two days before the Florida deadline to file as a candidate.

All the Republicans currently running for their party’s nomination have or are expected to drop out in deference to Sen. Rubio– with the exceptions of home builder Carlos Beruff and defense contractor Todd Wilcox.

“Outside of Beruff and Wilcox, however, Florida GOP leaders and down-ballot candidates are giddy at the prospect of having Rubio back on the ticket,” according to Patricia Mazzei, Amy Sherman, and Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald.

When asked about reports Rubio would announce a run for a second term, Sen. McConnell smiled and told reporters “If that were to happen, that would be a great outcome.”  He added that Rubio’s entry would move the seat from a likely loss for Republicans into “likely retention.”

Mike DeBonis, Ed O’Keefe, and Sean Sullivan of the Washington Post reported

Democrats have a bruising primary of their own, pitting Rep. Patrick Murphy against Rep. Alan Grayson. Murphy enjoys the support of the national party apparatus and has raised more than $7 million for his campaign — much more than any of the current Republican candidates. But he may have to spend a considerable chunk of it to beat Grayson, a liberal firebrand with a dedicated following among progressive activists, in the Aug. 30 primary.

In a statement Sen. Marco explained his thinking:

“Control of the Senate may very well come down to the race in Florida. That means the future of the Supreme Court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the direction of our country’s fiscal and economic policies will be determined by this Senate seat. The stakes for our nation could not be higher.”

Categories: Politics