Mitch Perry
Marco Rubio’s decision to run for re-election to his U.S. Senate seat after saying he wouldn’t is receiving an avalanche of criticism, and not just from Democrats.
Conservative radio talk-show host Laura Ingraham, a supporter of Congressman Ron DeSantis‘ bid for the Senate, reacted with hostility to the news Rubio was breaking his vow and getting back into the race, three months after he was humiliated in the Florida presidential primary by Donald Trump.
“I think it just adds to the cynicism of the electorate toward politicians. They can’t believe what they say,” Ingraham said upon the seeing The Washington Post‘s story posted online that Rubio would be announcing later Wednesday he is officially running for re-election.
Ingraham slammed Rubio’s comments from last week that the shooting massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that killed 49 people was the catalyst that changed his mind about getting back into the race, and went back to linking the Florida Republican to his support for comprehensive immigration reform back in 2013, a huge issue with conservatives.
“Why would Orlando change your mind? What unique ability do you have to stop Islamic terrorism in the United States?” she asked. “After all, the plan you endorsed and that you supported, according to the Congressional Budget Office and all of the analysis, it wouldn’t have stopped the people coming across the border. Fifty percent would still come across the border illegally? How is that good for our national security? How is that for stopping terrorism?”
Ingraham said she had participated in a fundraiser for DeSantis and expressed anger that he would drop out because of Rubio’s entrance back into the Senate contest. “I guess he’s just making a practical call,” she said of DeSantis. “The big money people are going to line up for Rubio again.”
“Why would you be afraid of Marco Rubio when he couldn’t win his own state?” Ingraham then said with frustration in her voice, referring to how Rubio only won his home county of Miami-Dade and lost the other 66 counties to Trump back in the March presidential primary. “It’s ridiculous. If I’m DeSantis, I’m saying: ‘You know, I like Marco Rubio, he’s a nice person, but he pledged not to run, and I’m going to take him at his word. I’m running for the U.S. Senate …'”
A spokesman for DeSantis’ Senate campaign told Floridapolitics.com an announcement about DeSantis’ future would come later Wednesday.
