He will face Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy who dispatched the embattled Alan Grayson.
Advertisement
John McCain and Marco Rubio have sealed a night of comebacks for the political establishment with the senators seeing off primary challenges to secure the Republican nominations for crucial senate races in Arizona and Florida. Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Florida three times to campaign with Murphy.
McCain in particular was seen as vulnerable to a populist challenge by Kelli Ward in Arizona, but was comfortably ahead by 55 to 35 percentage points when the Republican primary result was called shortly before 9pm local time. McCain led the immigration reform charge in 2007.
In Florida, political watchers are scouring primary returns in a bevy of House districts that were been redrawn just months ago by a court-ordered redistricting.
And Wasserman Schultz, the former Democratic National Committee chairwoman, was defending her seat against Tim Canova, a Bernie Sanders-backed law professor, in a primary colored by leaked e-mails revealing that DNC officials had worked against Sanders to favor Hillary Clinton in the presidential race. “Sen. Rubio has the worst vote attendance record of any Florida senator in almost 50 years”. She sought to overcome both redistricting and a 22-count federal corruption indictment amid a strong challenge from former state Sen. Murphy was also dogged by questions about whether he had exaggerated aspects of his biography. If Democrats sweep all four seats seen as competitive in November, that Republican advantage would be reduced to 14-13. With 74 percent in, Murphy was up 59-18 percent. That’s because his new wife, Dena Grayson, whom he married in May, was vying to replace her husband in Congress. It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat.
Adding to the intrigue is that the fates of the two senators will likely play a big role in whether Republicans can upset expectations and maintain majority control of the Senate after November’s election.
Rubio defeated Carlos Beruff, a businessman who has aligned himself withRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Former state Sen. Al Lawson won the Democratic nomination in her stead. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are in a tight race within the margin of error, according to recent polls.
Neither Murphy nor Rubio debated their primary opponents.
Murphy’s campaign quickly released a statement in which the Florida Democrat accepted the request and then immediately hammered Rubio for saying he can’t commit to serving an entire six-year term.
Both combatants easily won their respective primaries Tuesday night. “He told us he doesn’t like the job and just yesterday he told us he said he won’t commit to a six-year term”, Murphy said. Mr. McCain has nonetheless stood by Mr. Trump.
Advertisement
Arpaio will face Democratic challenger Paul Penzone during the fall in what’s believed to be his toughest campaign in six terms as Maricopa County’s top lawman.
