Marco Rubio says he welcomes Ivanka Trump primary challenge
Marco Rubio. Image via AP.

Rubio
She has a right to run, Rubio says.

When confronted on national television Sunday morning with the prospect of a high-profile primary challenge to his bid for reelection, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio didn’t blink.

Florida’s Ssnior Senator, on the ballot in 2022, told host Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday that part of running for the U.S. Senate in Florida is being ready for tough races, both in the General and in the Primary, should a challenge manifest, even from Ivanka Trump.

“If you’re going to run statewide in the state of Florida … if you’re going to run for the Florida Senate, you’re going to have a tough race,” Rubio reiterated. “Including a primary. That’s their right under the system. I don’t own the Senate seat, it doesn’t belong to me. If I want to be back in the U.S. Senate, I have to earn that every six years.”

“I like Ivanka. We’ve worked very well together on the issues,” Rubio said. “Look, anybody can decide to run if they want to. I’m not entitled to anything. I’ve got to earn my way forward. I’m very proud of my record.”

The Senator focused in on his collaboration with the former President and father of his potential primary challenger, saying it has “probably been the most productive period of any U.S. Senator from Florida in modern history.”

The Senator noted that regardless of whether a primary manifested or not, he knows he’s in for a fight in 2022.

“I don’t really get into the parlor games of Washington but I’ll tell you that when you decide to run for reelection in a state like Florida, you have to be prepared for a competitive race. You run it like a competitive race. So that’s what I’m preparing to run. A very tough race against a tough opponent.”

Rubio said that the “Democrats will have somebody who’s very well-funded … may even outraise me,” noting that recent Democratic U.S. Senate races have seen “all kinds of innovative ways to raise money.”

Rubio, who faced a relatively easy path to reelection six years ago after a last-minute decision to seek re-election, faces more treacherous terrain in 2022, and votes of confidence have already been offered. Sen. Rick Scott, who helms the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said he’s backing incumbents; however, in a battle between establishment Republicanism and Trumpism, the base energy may be with the latter proposition.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


7 comments

  • Sonja Fitch

    January 24, 2021 at 10:35 am

    More bs from little Marco on Fox News! So if said on Fox News it’s a lie!! Lol little Marco hims scated! Moscow Mitch better watch out for Nazi Rick!

  • Ron Ogden

    January 24, 2021 at 10:54 am

    Rubio has not always allied himself with the Trumps, but he recently has shown quite a bit of backbone in defense of the victimized ex-president. We’ll see.

  • Ocean Joe

    January 24, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    He may be a serial flip-flopper, but he’s our flip-flopper. His decision not to object to the electoral college vote, seemingly acknowledging that the election was legitimate, is balanced by his intention to reward Donald for attempting to destroy our democracy with a pass.

    If rednecks are having trouble deciding between Rubio, and the spawn of Trump whose carpet bag is stuffed with Chinese patents, Democrats have a good shot at winning. It won’t happen.

  • James Robert Miles

    January 24, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Marco better watch out as he could easily be defeated since he has done NOTHING for Florida as a Senator and is now busy defending Trump saying in essence that there should be NO accountability by Trump for inciting a riot in the capital by Trump’s sucker and looser minions who were obviously trying to overthrow the U.S. government. But it figures as the GOP has become the party of the lawless! The law applies to everyone except Republicans who, hopefully are about to find out that they too, can and will be held accountable!!

  • Philip L Leary

    January 25, 2021 at 8:17 am

    Sen. Rubio has done as good a job as any former Florida Senator has ever done, and has an excellent staff! I don’t think that just because Ivanka’s last name is Trump, that she will garner the support her Father did in the state.

    Marco has a huge following and is a dynamic campaigner. Marco 2022!!!!

  • martin

    January 26, 2021 at 8:30 am

    Time for marco to be term limited. I would vote for any rep running against him in a primary.

  • Southern Logic

    January 28, 2021 at 12:13 pm

    Marcos Achilles heel is that he is an open border GOP asset. He does not agree that the program that his family was allowed to stay was because they were fleeing from a communist country. He wants that for everyone as long as your latino and that is not right. Unless we become communist like the dems want us to then its game over.

    Ivanka will give him a tough fight, we will see how good she is with policy and debate. Get your popcorn ready.

Comments are closed.


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