After 6 Years of Disappointment, Florida’s Largest Papers are Rejecting Marco Rubio

Last night, the Miami Herald endorsed Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate over Marco Rubio, adding to the list of major Florida papers standing up against Rubio’s serial absenteeism and self-interest.  

Miami Herald: Miami Herald recommends Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate

• “This newspaper has a long history of supporting U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s electoral campaigns, going back to his days as a promising political newcomer from West Miami with a strong measure of personal magnetism and a crowd-pleasing message that served him well as he climbed the political ladder.”

• “But in many other ways, Sen. Rubio has been a disappointment. 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.” 

• What is clear, however, is that Rep. Murphy will fight for the right issues, as he stated in his debate with Sen. Rubio on Monday. He supports the diplomatic opening to Cuba, reasonable gun-control measures, the Affordable Care Act, measures to rein in climate change and Roe v. Wade — as well as comprehensive immigration reform and filling the Supreme Court vacancy.”

• “For the U.S. Senate, the Miami Herald recommends PATRICK MURPHY.”

Sun Sentinel: Send Patrick Murphy to Senate; send shirker Marco Rubio home

• “If Rubio is afraid to stand up to the racist, misogynistic factions that are crucial to any hope for a Trump victory, we cannot give any credence to his pledge that, if sent back to the Senate, he would be as much a brake on a President Trump as he would be on a President Clinton.”

• “In contrast, we have every reason to think that a Sen. Murphy, under either president, would seek bipartisan paths toward fair taxation and wages, accessible health care, immigration reform, environmental responsibility and respect for women and minorities.” 

• “While a Sen. Rubio primarily would serve Sen. Rubio, a Sen. Murphy would serve Floridians.”

Orlando Sentinel: Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate: Endorsements 2016

• “Until now, we have never missed an opportunity to recommend Marco Rubio to voters.”

• “Murphy, who easily defeated U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando in this year’s Democratic primary, has been elected to two terms in Congress. He came into office with a thin resume, but he has gained valuable experience. He also has earned a good reputation for constituent service, a responsibility that looms even more important for a senator who would represent 20 million people.”

• “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.”

• “We endorse Democrat Patrick Murphy.”

Tampa Bay Times: Times recommends: Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate

• Rubio’s overall voting record is the worst of any U.S. senator from Florida in a half-century. While running for president, he had a worse voting record between March 2015 and March 2016 than any other sitting senator. He vowed not to seek a second term if he did not win the Republican nomination for president, then changed his mind. This is not the record of a politician dedicated to serving his constituents. 

• “Murphy wants to improve the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health care to another 1.5 million Floridians. Rubio wants to repeal the law and sabotaged it by making it harder to cover $2.5 billion owed to insurers to spread the risk of covering more sick people. His proposals for refundable tax credits to help Americans buy health insurance and block grants to states are predictable and insufficient.”

• “Murphy recognizes humans are contributing to climate change and lists helping Florida cope as a top priority. Rubio acknowledges the climate is changing but remains in denial that humans are contributing to it.”

• “Murphy has the mainstream policy positions and the stronger commitment to representing the best interests of all Floridians. For U.S. Senate, the Tampa Bay Times recommends Patrick Murphy.”