Sometime Florida Republican Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio (a.k.a., "Little Marco" -- h/t neo- fascist loser Donald "Rump" Trump) is in an increasingly tight re- election battle with Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy. Glug Glug, who is being coy about whether he'll finish out his term or make another Presidential run, has already lost in the battle for endorsements from Florida's four biggest newspapers. While each paper had strong reasons to support Rep. Murphy, they were unified in noting the failings of the transparently ambitious Glug Glug. As always, we recommend reading the entire editorials.
The Miami Herald, a consistent supporter of Glug Glug, has had a particularly brutal change of heart:
He has fought Obamacare at every step, even though it has brought immeasurable relief to millions who previously had no healthcare. He has joined the Senate majority in the scandalous move to block any consideration of the president’s nominee for a Supreme Court vacancy. He has unilaterally blocked other meritorious presidential nominations for purely political reasons, including confirmation of a judge he himself had once recommended.
Beyond the political differences, there are issues of sincerity and character for voters to consider. First, he reneged on his unequivocal pledge not to run for re-election for a position he once openly disdained — but only after he lost his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to his nemesis, Donald Trump. Then he endorsed Mr. Trump, whom he called a con man during the campaign. And still at this late date, he continues to stand by that endorsement, even as the Republican candidate stumbles from gaffe to insult to outrage.
Mr. Trump’s candidacy is a test of character, and Sen. Rubio is failing that test. How can voters believe he’s sincere when he says he does not share Mr. Trump’s awful views on Mexicans, immigrants, Muslims, women, etc., yet — at the same time — stands by his endorsement of the New York billionaire? His act is unconvincing. It reeks of political convenience rather than political conviction.
And he has refused to issue a clear, unequivocal statement on whether he will finish out his term if he wins reelection. And though he used the June massacre at Pulse, the gay nightclub in Orlando, as his excuse for getting in the race, he has a disastrous record as far as LGBT issues are concerned, opposing marriage equality and adoption by gay parents, and voting against giving LGBT Americans workplace protections.The Sun Sentinel starts off its endorsement with a statement that should leave a mark on Glug Glug:
Floridians deserve a U.S. senator who genuinely wants to do the job and who views his office as something more than a place to cool his heels until it's time to run for president again. That means voters should give the job to Patrick Murphy.
Democrat Murphy, who lives in Jupiter, serves in the U.S. House. He's running against Republican Marco Rubio of West Miami, who currently is serving — when he shows up for work — in the U.S. Senate.The Orlando Sentinel also hit on the absent/ distracted/ weasel Glug Glug theme:
Rubio also backed away from the day-to-day responsibilities of representing Florida in the U.S. Senate. Between April 2015 and March 2016, he missed 65 percent of Senate votes, according to Politifact. He defended himself by arguing that running for president is a full-time job. True, but so is representing Florida in the U.S. Senate. Yet in his current re-election campaign, he has pointedly refused to rule out another presidential bid in 2020.
So if Rubio is re-elected to the Senate, and decides to pivot for another run for the White House in a couple of years, Floridians won't be getting the full attention that they expect and deserve. They also are more likely to see him do things, like retreating on immigration reform, that make more sense for a GOP presidential candidate than a sitting Florida senator.The Tampa Bay Times, before listing 12 good reasons to support Rep. Murphy, has this to say:
Florida voters tired of gridlock in Washington have a clear choice for U.S. Senate. Democrat Patrick Murphy of Jupiter has served just two terms in the House, but he is a centrist who is right on the issues and works in a bipartisan fashion. Incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Miami is on the wrong side of most every issue, and he changed his mind about seeking re-election after he was crushed by Donald Trump in the Florida presidential primary. A Senate seat should not be a consolation prize for a failed presidential candidate killing time until his next run for the White House.Let's dispel with this fiction that Glug Glug is unbeatable. It's 20 days to go until the election, so if you can, please support Rep. Murphy and get this gusano out of the Senate.
