Jesse Scheckner
President Joe Biden’s Tuesday visit to Florida was meant to support gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, Senate candidate Val Demings and contrast Republicans and Democrats’ “very different vision” for America’s future.
But according to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, Biden’s stop in the Sunshine State should instead remind voters of the nation’s ongoing problems.
“We welcome him coming to Florida,” Rubio told America Reports.
“For us, it’s a reminder of what we have been telling people the entire campaign, and that is Joe Biden and the Democrats control the White House, the House and the Senate for 22 months, and what they have produced for our country is inflation, runaway immigration, crime problems around the country. And obviously, they have to answer for that.
“So, people have a choice. If you want to leave these people in charge of our government, then obviously you’ll welcome Joe Biden and you’ll want him to be here.”
Biden’s trip to Florida came one week before Election Day, when Crist hopes to unseat Gov. Ron DeSantis and Demings hopes to supplant Rubio. Both Democrats are trailing in their respective races, and recent polling suggests those gaps aren’t likely to close unless something drastic happens.
In spite of his lead, Rubio has remained on the attack in his race, contending during their October debate Demings has “never passed a single piece of legislation into law” — she has, though the measures renamed post office buildings — and that she has voted “100% with (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi,” which is true.
More recently, the Senator told Fox News that Demings’ career in, and subsequent criticism of, law enforcement disqualified her from being considered as a Vice President choice for Biden.
Demings did criticize police in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, including authoring an opinion piece in The Washington Post decrying “stupid, heartless and reckless behavior” by bad actors in law enforcement.
But she also previously stood by police accused of excessive force while serving as an Orlando Police Chief and has knocked calls to defund the police as “crazy.” And the post office renaming? Those changes were made to honor cops who died in the line of duty.
In advance of Biden’s arrival Tuesday, Rubio’s campaign issued a press release further bashing Demings, who it said “supports 100% of the Biden agenda,” including the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, Inflation Reduction Act, the “Biden’s Border Crisis” and “Biden’s student loan bailout, which is forcing 87% of Americans without student loans to foot the $420 billion bill for those that do.”
Rubio is indeed wary of costly economic moves at the federal level. In 2017, he threatened to vote “no” on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the largest one-time reduction in the corporate tax rate in U.S. history. He later voted for the measure after a last-minute change expanded the federal child tax credit.
“Val Demings is welcoming the failing leader of her party, Joe Biden, to Florida today to celebrate what they’ve delivered for the American people: record inflation, dangerous crime, and a wide-open border,” Rubio spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory said in a statement.
“Thanks to Val Demings’ record of voting for Biden’s far-left agenda 100% of the time, Americans are worse off than they were two years ago, and they have the Biden administration and Democrat-controlled Washington to blame. On Nov. 8, the people of Florida are going to reject the radical Biden agenda and re-elect Marco Rubio.”
Florida Politics reached out to Val Demings’ campaign for comment and will update this story upon receipt of one.
15 comments
Ocean Joe
November 1, 2022 at 7:01 pm
I don’t have a student loan.
But I have no problem with younger folks getting help in tough times.
I’m not an immigrant.
But I’m embarrassed by the way Rubio turned his back on Cubans trying escape a nightmare.
Biden was just here, expediting federal hurricane relief and FEMA agreed to cover 100% of clean up for 60 days.
Families vented their spleens at a teenage killer who should never have gotten ahold of an assault rifle, today in court.
Marco thinks it’s OK for teenagers to have these weapons.
Between Rubio and the guy who wants to sunset medicare for a state with the most retirees in the country, when do we get a US senator with a brain?
Tom
November 1, 2022 at 10:21 pm
Wah ocean Wah!
Gov. George Wallace. Wah.
Rubio landslide.
How ignorant ocean.
What was sheriff Israel doing?
BSD passed on Cruz twice we know bout. How bout comeys FBI? To busy as they passed on calls made, requests for help, busy with fake hoaxes. How bout his family? How bout the school ?? District ? He was feared and known.
Save it.
Tom Legend
November 2, 2022 at 8:04 am
“Wah ocean wah” and “tropical 2 ocean windcane” – Dumb Tom
Tom
November 1, 2022 at 10:21 pm
Wah ocean Wah!
Gov. George Wallace. Wah.
Rubio landslide.
How ignorant ocean.
What was sheriff Israel doing?
BSD passed on Cruz twice we know bout. How bout comeys FBI? To busy as they passed on calls made, requests for help, busy with fake hoaxes. How bout his family? How bout the school ?? District ? He was feared and known.
Save it.
Tom
November 1, 2022 at 10:34 pm
Ocean, How bout coming “legally” as immigrants? Not illegally.
The 5 million is an illegal invasion.
First article of impeachment! Harris too, along with Mayorkas and Garland.
Biden has no legal authority, none to waive unilateral federal student loans.
None! Enjoy!
Tom Legend (Real Tom)
November 1, 2022 at 7:59 pm
Rubio is an empty suit, poop shoveler, hot drink of piss on a summers afternoon. Vote for Val.
Tom
November 1, 2022 at 10:22 pm
Go to hell scum bag corsin!
Real Tom, the legend of all time.
Tom Legend (Real Tom)
November 2, 2022 at 8:01 am
🚫 Fake Tom 🚫
Tom
November 1, 2022 at 10:22 pm
Go to hell scum bag corsin!
Real Tom, the legend of all time.
Tom Legend (Real Tom)
November 2, 2022 at 8:02 am
🚫 Fake Tom 🚫
Tom
November 2, 2022 at 11:57 am
Kiss ass lying scum bag, go back to bed with mommy! What a complete loser, alias identity hijacker.
Impeach Biden
November 1, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Sad state of affairs when you have to bring in the sleepy one, Joe, to prop up a Democrat that stands no chance at all of defeating DeSantis. Icing on the cake is the wicked witch of Broward County, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz introducing sleepy.
Snoopy Laugh
November 2, 2022 at 11:12 pm
LOL!! Great post IB!
marylou
November 1, 2022 at 9:15 pm
Rubio: “inflation, runaway immigration, crime problems around the country. And obviously, they have to answer for that.”
* Inflation = RECORD CORPORATE PROFITS!!!
* Immigration: Legislature passes laws. No effective immigration laws passed for years with Republican majority legislature.
* Crime: Overall crime rates went up 30 percent during Trump’s last two years, and states that voted for Trump in 2020 had murder rates 40 percent higher than those won by Joe Biden. So far violent crimes like homicides and rapes are down in most major cities.
What is the Republican plan to reduce inflation?
Florida
November 2, 2022 at 11:00 am
What the hell have you ever done Little Marco besides shoot off your big yap? Nothing. You don’t even show up to vote in the senate. We hate you Rubio!
Comments are closed.