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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Bloggytown

Marco Rubio decides he wants to keep being our U.S. senator after all

Posted By Monivette Cordeiro on Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 11:44 AM

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Photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr

After being wishy-washy for weeks about whether he wants to run for the U.S. Senate again, "Marquito" Rubio has decided Floridians have not had enough of him and announced his re-election campaign Wednesday.

The Miami Herald reports Rubio's announcement comes hours after a Quinnipiac University poll that showed none of the current Republican candidates for the Senate has a lead over Democratic U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy. But if Rubio joined the race, the poll shows him beating both Grayson and Murphy.

In a long statement on his website, Rubio says he wants to be in the Senate again basically because he doesn't like presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The Senate has the "constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president," according to Rubio. His statement says:

"No matter who is elected president, there is reason for worry.

With Hillary Clinton, we would have four more years of the same failed economic policies that have left us with a stagnant economy. We would have four more years of the same failed foreign policy that has allowed radical Islam to spread, and terrorists to be released from Guantanamo. And even worse, if Clinton were president and her party took control of Congress, she would govern without Congressional oversight or limit. It would be a repeat of the early years of the current administration, when we got Obamacare, the failed stimulus and a record debt.

The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable. If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. I’ve proven a willingness to do both."

That's kinda strange because up until a minute ago, Rubio was supporting Trump, though to his credit, Rubio did say he wouldn't trust Trump with nuclear codes.

Rubio also cited as his reasons for running again that control of the Senate, currently held by Republicans, could come down to the Florida seat, which would affect the future of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Iran nuclear deal and pretty much everything. Cheeto Jesus has made it hard for the GOP going into the general election this November. Rubio continues:

"In the end, this was a decision made not in Washington, but back home in West Miami over Father’s Day weekend, with my wife and our four children.

There were two paths before us. There was one path that was more personally comfortable and probably smarter politically. But after much thought and prayer, together we chose to continue with public service; to continue down the path that provides the opportunity to make a positive difference at this critical and uncertain time for our nation.

In the end, there was simply too much at stake for any other choice."

Murphy and Grayson both had tough words for Rubio, with Murphy saying in a statement, "Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he's treating them like a consolation prize." Grayson's campaign manager Mike Ceraso says in a statement that the Orlando representative "welcomes the chance" to beat Rubio.

"It’s shameful that Marco is trying to use the Orlando tragedy to further his 2020 presidential ambitions from a Senate seat that he’s barely sat in," the statement says. "Floridians will see through it. The Trump-Rubio ticket will fail."

Tags: marco rubio, u.s. senate, patrick murphy, alan grayson, carlos beruff, Image

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