TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - With the primaries over, the sprint to November is on, and in typical Florida fashion, two of the races have national implications, as they could mean a shift in power in Washington.
Floridians have become accustomed to being at the center of the political storm, and this year will be no exception. Voters already reeling from an election cycle many have described as ugly can expect a bruising two months leading up to Nov. 8.
The most high-profile Sunshine State battle pits U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio against U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy.
Rubio, who ended his presidential campaign after losing the Florida primary on March 15, had repeatedly said he would not seek re-election. Fellow Republicans, however, urged him to run, keenly aware a loss could contribute to a swing in the Senate to Democratic control.
The high stakes of this heavyweight showdown means millions of dollars needed to compete. This Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive races in the nation.
Both candidates hit the ground running into the general election with a war of words. “Patrick Murphy is nothing more than an old-fashioned liberal, and his ideas that he stands for are wrong for Florida,” said Rubio. “They’re dangerous, and they will leave us vulnerable as a people and as a nation.”
Not to be outdone, Murphy countered that his opponent personifies the most contemptible aspects of Beltway politics. “Marco Rubio is the worst of Washington because he puts himself first every time,” he said. “He gave up on his job. He gave up on Florida.”
Political forecasters believe it will be even more difficult for Democrats to retake control of the House.
The race for District 26, however, promises to be super-competitive. Democrat Joe Garcia is trying to regain the seat he once held by beating the man who beat him: current first-term incumbent Carlos Curbelo.
The contested race will decide the political fate of a district that includes the Florida Keys and a section of deep Southwest Miami-Dade. “This is a national race. This is about what type of leaders we want for this country,” said Curbelo. “Do we want people who are going to help heal the partisanship, heal the divisiveness in Washington, or do we want someone who is going to make it worse?”
In trying to make the case for his candidacy, Garcia also conveyed the importance of the 2016 general election. “This is going to be a historic election, and I know every politician says that in every election, but it’s going to be historic because our country doesn’t need to go to the left or the right,” he said. “Take a step forward and start solving problems.”
Local power is also up for grabs this November. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez failed to garner more than 50 percent of the primary vote, triggering a run-off between the incumbent and two-term Miami-Dade School Board member Raquel Regalado.
Giménez argued he has the experience to steer the county’s $7 billion budget. “This campaign will be about, not about just negatives and criticism,” he said. “This campaign will be about, what is the vision? I look forward to a spirited campaign with Ms. Regalado. There is a clear difference.”
His challenger, however, said it’s time for a change, as she looks to become the first female mayor in the history of Miami-Dade County.
Even at the county level, millions are being spent, and Regalado is being outspent. “A year and a half ago, we said humbly that money can’t buy an election, and everyone said it could,” she said. “Everyone told me that going up against such a well-funded incumbent was suicide, and here we are. The people have spoken.”
The debate over debates is heating up as well. Rubio has challenged Murphy to six debates, including one on Spanish language TV. Murphy counter-challenged Rubio to commit to serving a full six-year senate term, a clear dig at Rubio’s presumed presidential aspirations.
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