United States Senate election in Florida, 2016

Florida 2016 elections

* * *

Presidential • U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • State judges • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Candidate ballot access |

|
|

2016 U.S. Senate Election in Florida

* * *

General Election Date
November 8, 2016

* * *

Primary Date
August 30, 2016

* * *

November 8 Election Winner:
Marco Rubio
Incumbent prior to election:
Marco Rubio

* * *

Race Ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean R[1]
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean R[2]
Rothenberg & Gonzales: Lean R[3]

* * *

Other Senate Elections Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Missouri • Nevada • New Hampshire • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • South Carolina • South Dakota • Utah • Vermont • Washington • Wisconsin

* * *

2016 U.S. House Elections

* * *

## Contents

* 1 Election results
* 1.1 General election
* 1.2 Primary election
* 2 Candidates
* 3 General election background
* 3.1 Republican coattails
* 3.2 General election recap
* 3.3 Debates
* 3.3.1 Second debate
* 3.3.2 First debate
* 3.3.3 Stanton not invited to debate
* 3.4 Murphy’s FEC and FBI investigations
* 3.4.1 FEC investigation
* 3.4.2 FBI investigation
* 3.4.3 Spike in legal fees
* 4 Primary election background
* 4.1 Primary election recap
* 4.2 Rubio’s decision to run for re-election
* 4.2.1 Trump encouraged Rubio to run
* 4.2.2 Clearing the way for Rubio
* 4.2.3 Democratic response to Rubio
* 4.3 Biden’s support for Murphy
* 4.4 Questions about Murphy's biography
* 4.5 First-ever Libertarian primary
* 4.6 Defeated candidates
* 4.6.1 Alan Grayson hedge funds
* 4.6.1.1 Establishment urged Grayson to withdraw
* 4.6.2 Grayson accused of domestic abuse
* 4.6.3 Grayson's staff turnover
* 4.6.4 Wyllie resignation over Invictus
* 4.7 Withdrawn candidates
* 4.7.1 Jolly's feud with the NRCC
* 4.8 Declined to run
* 4.8.1 Wasserman Schultz candidacy
* 5 Issues
* 5.1 Healthcare
* 5.1.1 Rubio: Replace the ACA
* 5.1.2 Murphy: Fix the ACA
* 5.2 Climate change and energy policy
* 5.3 Campaign themes
* 5.3.1 Marco Rubio
* 5.3.2 Patrick Murphy
* 5.3.3 Paul Stanton
* 6 Presidential preference
* 6.1 Rubio
* 6.2 Murphy
* 6.2.1 Murphy on Clinton’s trustworthiness
* 6.3 Stanton
* 6.4 Withdrawn candidates
* 6.4.1 Grayson
* 7 Endorsements
* 7.1 Marco Rubio
* 7.2 Patrick Murphy
* 7.3 Paul Stanton
* 7.4 Defeated candidates
* 7.4.1 Alan Grayson
* 7.4.2 Pam Keith
* 8 Polls
* 9 Media
* 9.1 Marco Rubio
* 9.1.1 Support
* 9.1.2 Opposition
* 9.2 Patrick Murphy
* 9.2.1 Support
* 9.2.2 Opposition
* 9.3 Defeated candidates
* 9.3.1 Carlos Beruff
* 9.4 Candidates who withdrew from the race
* 9.4.1 Ron DeSantis
* 9.4.2 Carlos Lopez-Cantera
* 9.5 Campaign contributions
* 9.5.1 Marco Rubio
* 9.5.2 Patrick Murphy
* 9.6 Presidential impact
* 9.7 Election history
* 9.7.1 2012
* 9.7.2 2010
* 9.8 Important dates and deadlines
* 9.9 See also
* 9.10 Footnotes

Voters in Florida elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 8, 2016.

The race for Florida's U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016 that that helped Republicans maintain control of the Senate. Incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio (R) defeated U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D), Iraq war veteran Paul Stanton (L), and nine independent and write-in candidates in the general election, which took place on November 8, 2016. According to Politico, Rubio was “the first Republican senator from the Sunshine State ever to win reelection in a presidential election year.”[4][5]

The heated race was full of personal attacks. Rubio called Murphy "hyper-partisan," "a rubber stamp for, God forbid, a Clinton presidency," and accused him of fabricating his qualifications. A CBS Miami report questioned Murphy's claims of being a certified public accountant and small business owner. Murphy's campaign called the report "deeply false."[6][7][8][9]

Murphy attacked Rubio for missing votes and abandoning Florida voters while campaigning for president. During an interview, he said, "Sen. Rubio has the worst vote attendance record of any Florida senator in nearly 50 years," a statement PolitiFact rated as "mostly true." He also accused Rubio of being a political opportunist. Murphy's spokeswoman Galia Slayen said, "Marco Rubio is willing to abandon his responsibility to Floridians and hand over our country's national security to Donald Trump, as long as it advances his own political career."[10]

In his victory speech, Rubio said, “[I] hope that I and my colleagues as we return to work in Washington D.C. can set a better example how political discourse should exist in this country. And I know people feel betrayed and you have a right to. Every major institution in our society has failed us — the media, the government, big business, Wall Street, academia — they have all failed us. So people are so frustrated and angry. But we must channel that anger and frustration into something positive. Let it move us forward as energy to confront and solve our challenges and our problems.”[11]

This election was one of Ballotpedia's top 10 congressional races in 2016. Click here to read the full list.

HISTORICAL FACTS

* Incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio (R) assumed Florida's Senate seat in 2011.
* Sen. Daniel Robert Bob Graham was the last Democrat elected to the seat. Graham served from 1987 to 2005.
* The Senate seat has changed party control nine times.
Candidate Filing Deadline  |  Primary Election  |  General Election

|
|

June 24, 2016 |  August 30, 2016 |  November 8, 2016

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[12][13][14][15]

Incumbent: The election filled the Class 3 Senate seat held by Marco Rubio (R). He was first elected in 2010. Rubio decided to seek re-election in 2016, despite his initial claims that he would not seek re-election.[16]

## Election results[edit]

### General election[edit]

U.S. Senate, Florida General Election, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Marco Rubio Incumbent | 52% | 4,835,191
| Democratic  |  Patrick Murphy  | 44.3% | 4,122,088
| Libertarian  |  Paul Stanton  | 2.1% | 196,956
| Independent  |  Bruce Nathan  | 0.6% | 52,451
| Independent  |  Tony Khoury  | 0.5% | 45,820
| Independent  |  Steven Machat  | 0.3% | 26,918
| Independent  |  Basil Dalack  | 0.2% | 22,236
| N/A  |  Write-in  | 0% | 160
Total Votes | 9,301,820
Source: Florida Division of Elections

### Primary election[edit]

U.S. Senate, Florida Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Marco Rubio Incumbent | 72% | 1,029,830
Carlos Beruff  | 18.5% | 264,427
Dwight Young  | 6.4% | 91,082
Ernie Rivera  | 3.2% | 45,153
Total Votes | 1,430,492
Source: Florida Division of Elections

U.S. Senate, Florida Democratic Primary, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Patrick Murphy | 58.9% | 665,985
Alan Grayson  | 17.7% | 199,929
Pam Keith  | 15.4% | 173,919
Roque De La Fuente  | 5.4% | 60,810
Reginald Luster  | 2.6% | 29,138
Total Votes | 1,129,781
Source: Florida Division of Elections

U.S. Senate, Florida Libertarian Primary, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Paul Stanton | 73.5% | 2,946
Augustus Invictus Sol  | 26.5% | 1,063
Total Votes | 4,009
Source: Florida Division of Elections

## Candidates[edit]

General election candidates:

Marco Rubio a
Patrick Murphy
Paul Stanton
Tony Khoury
Steven Machat
Basil Dalack
Bruce Nathan
Charles Frederick Tolbert (Write-in)
Jon Friend (Write-in)
Robert Samuel Kaplan (Write-in)
Bradley Patrick (Write-in)
Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser (Write-in)
Howard Knepper (Write-in)

|

Primary candidates:[17]

|

Democratic

Patrick Murphy \- U.S. Rep.[18] a
Alan Grayson \- U.S. Rep.[19][20]
Pam Keith [21]
Roque De La Fuente[22]
Reginald Luster[23]

Republican

Marco Rubio \- Incumbent[24][16] a
Ernie Rivera[25]
Carlos Beruff[26]
Dwight Mark Anthony Young[23]
Howard Knepper (Write-in)[27]

|
|

Third Party/Other

Augustus Sol Invictus (Libertarian)[28]
Paul Stanton (Libertarian)[29] a
Tony Khoury (Independent)[30]
Steven Machat (Independent)[31]
Basil Dalack (Independent)[23]
Bruce Nathan (Independent)[23]
Charles Frederick Tolbert (Write-in)[32]
Jon Friend (Write-in)[33]
Robert Samuel Kaplan (Write-in)[23]
Bradley Patrick (Write-in)[23]
Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser (Write-in)[23]

|
|

|  Withdrew:
David Jolly (R) - U.S. Rep.[34][35]
Ron DeSantis (R) - U.S. Rep.[36][37]
Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R) - Lt. Gov.[38][39]
Ilya Katz (R)[40]
Todd Wilcox (R) - Defense contractor[41][42]

|

# General election background[edit]

### Republican coattails[edit]

Rubio provided a reverse coattails effect for President Donald Trump. Rubio won 52.1 percent of the vote, while Trump earned 49.1 percent of the vote, a 3.0 percent difference.

Kartik Krishnaiyer, a liberal blogger and a former spokesman for U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson’s unsuccessful U.S. Senate primary campaign against Murphy commented on the reverse coattails effect, saying, “It shows what a strong vote-getter Rubio is — he outperformed Trump by almost three points and Trump did better than any statewide Republican at the top of the ticket since 2006 when Charlie Crist was a Republican who won his race for governor.”[5]

State Rep. Carlos Trujillo praised Rubio for helping get down-ballot Republicans elected. He said, “Rubio was the catalyst in ensuring that incumbent Republican members in Dade County won their reelections. He actively engaged in get-out-the-vote efforts, recorded commercials and robo calls for several members of the delegation. He was the tipping point in getting us elected.”[5]

A full breakdown of the Republican presidential and Senate races appears below.

*Ballotpedia identified the highlighted races as battleground races and races to watch. The vote percentages are from CNN and will be updated after the final results are released.

2016 Republican Presidential and Senate election results

State |  Presidential candidate vote % |  Senate candidate vote % |  Vote % Difference
Alabama | Donald Trump | Incumbent Richard Shelby |
Totals | 62.9% a | 64.2% a | Shelby +1.3%
Alaska | Donald Trump | Incumbent Lisa Murkowski |
Totals | 53.3% a | 43.8% a | Trump +9.5%
Arizona | Donald Trump | Incumbent John McCain |
Totals | 49.5% a | 53.4% a | McCain +3.9%
Arkansas | Donald Trump | Incumbent John Boozman |
Totals | 60.4% a | 59.8% a | Trump +0.6%
Florida | Donald Trump | Incumbent Marco Rubio |
Totals | 49.1% a | 52.1% a |  Rubio +3.0%
Georgia | Donald Trump | Incumbent Johnny Isakson |
Totals | 51.4% a | 55.1% a |  Isakson +3.7%
Idaho | Donald Trump | Incumbent Mike Crapo |
Totals | 59.0% a | 66.0% a | Crapo +7.0%
Indiana | Donald Trump | Todd Young |
Totals | 57.2% a | 52.2% a | Trump + 5.0%
Iowa | Donald Trump | Incumbent Chuck Grassley |
Totals | 51.7% a | 60.1% a | Grassley +8.4%
Kansas | Donald Trump | Incumbent Jerry Moran |
Totals | 57.2% a | 62.4% a | Moran +5.2%
Kentucky | Donald Trump | Incumbent Rand Paul |
Totals | 62.5% a | +57.3% a |  Trump +5.2%
Louisiana | Donald Trump | Multiple Republican candidates |
Totals | 58.1% a | (Race not called) | \-
Missouri | Donald Trump | Incumbent Roy Blunt |
Totals | 57.1% a | 49.4% a | Trump +7.7%
North Carolina | Donald Trump | Incumbent Richard Burr |
Totals | 50.5% a | 51.1% a | Burr +0.6%
North Dakota | Donald Trump | Incumbent John Hoeven |
Totals | 64.1% a | 78.6% a |  Hoeven +14.5%
Ohio | Donald Trump | Incumbent Rob Portman |
Totals | 52.1% a | 58.3% a | Portman +6.2%
Oklahoma | Donald Trump | Incumbent James Lankford |
Totals | 65.3% a | 67.7% a | Lankford +2.4%
Pennsylvania | Donald Trump | Incumbent Pat Toomey |
Totals | 48.8% a | 48.9% a | Toomey +0.1%
South Carolina | Donald Trump | Incumbent Tim Scott |
Totals | 55.6% a | 61.2% a | Scott +5.6%
South Dakota | Donald Trump | Incumbent John Thune |
Totals | 61.5% a | 71.8% a | Thune +10.3%
Utah | Donald Trump | Incumbent Mike Lee |
Totals | 45.5% a | 67.4% a | Lee +21.9%
Wisconsin | Donald Trump | Incumbent Ron Johnson |
Totals | 47.9% a | 50.2% a | Johnson +2.3%
California | Donald Trump | No Republican on the ballot |
Totals | 33.3% d | No Republican on the ballot | \-
Colorado | Donald Trump | Darryl Glenn |
Totals | 44.8% d | 45.8% d | Glenn +1.0%
Connecticut | Donald Trump | Dan Carter |
Totals | 41.6% d | 35.3% d |  Trump +6.3%
Hawaii | Donald Trump | John Carroll |
Totals | 30.1% d | 22.2% d | Trump +7.9%
Illinois | Donald Trump | Incumbent Mark Kirk |
Totals | 39.4% d | 40.2% d | Kirk +0.8%
Maryland | Donald Trump | Kathy Szeliga |
Totals | 35.3% d | 36.4% d | Szeliga +1.1%
Nevada | Donald Trump | Joe Heck |
Totals | 45.5% d | 44.7% d | Trump +0.8%
New Hampshire | Donald Trump | Incumbent Kelly Ayotte |
Totals | 47.2% d | 47.9% d | Ayotte +0.7%
New York | Donald Trump | Wendy Long |
Totals | 37.5% d | 27.5% d | Trump +10.0%
Oregon | Donald Trump | Mark Callahan |
Totals | 41.3% d | 33.9% d | Trump +7.4%
Vermont | Donald Trump | Scott Milne |
Totals | 32.6% d | 33.0% d | Milne +0.4%
Washington | Donald Trump | Chris Vance |
Totals | 37.7% d | 39.2% d | Vance +1.5%
Totals | Trump's average win: 55.4% | Republican senators' average win: 58.6% | Republican senators +3.2%

### General election recap[edit]

Rubio and Murphy wasted no time moving into general election mode after winning their primary elections by large margins—Rubio with 72 percent of the vote and Murphy with 59 percent. The day after the primary, Rubio challenged Murphy to six debates, saying, "when it comes to a debate about our future, I believe Floridians today deserve no less than what they received in 2010."[43]

Murphy replied, "I'm very excited to debate Sen. Marco Rubio, and I'm going to take his challenge seriously when he agrees to serve a six-year term in the Senate." Murphy was referring to Rubio's refusal to commit to serving a full term in the Senate if he was re-elected. He was reportedly considering another presidential run in 2020.[43][7]

Rubio then accused Murphy of trying to dodge debating him. The two campaigns agreed to participate in two debates—one on October 17 and one on October 26.[43][44]

Miami Herald reporters Jeremy Wallace and Kristen M. Clark wrote that the negative tone of the campaign "could turn off voters, but not enough to give the third party candidates a shot to win it." Despite the long-shot nature of his candidacy, Stanton, who won Florida's first-ever Libertarian Party Senate primary election with 74 percent of the vote, said he hoped to add a Libertarian perspective to the Senate debates. When asked in an interview how he would impact the debate, he said, "I would definitely bring a different message to the table. I don’t have the same baggage of the Democratic and Republican frontrunners. ... I would have a very strong showing and get the message of liberty and peace out there. That’s one thing lacking with the other party frontrunners. The ‘old’ parties, I guess you’d call them. Ultimately, the duopoly is going to continue in Florida and nationwide until we have election reform.” Stanton did not make the cut for the October 17 debate or the October 26 debate, despite meeting the criteria to be invited to the second debate.[45][46][47][48]

Jennifer Duffy, a senior analyst with the Cook Political Report, said that the race was "one of the nation’s truly competitive contests. I don’t see that changing much between now and November.”[45]

### Debates[edit]

Rubio and Murphy participated in two debates. The first debate was held on October 17 at 7 p.m. EDT in Orlando, Florida. The debate was moderated by POLITICO Florida, Orlando's WFTV-9, and Cox Media Group. The second debate was held on October 26 at 7 p.m. EDT at Broward College in Davie, Florida. It was hosted by Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association.[49]

Both campaigns had trouble coming to an agreement about the number of debates and who should moderate and host them. Rubio called for a total of six debates. He proposed adding four more debates to the schedule with Orlando’s WESH-TV, CBS4/Miami Herald, the Tampa Bay Times and Univision. Murphy proposed having a League of Women Voters debate and a Forum Club of the Palm Beaches forum.[49]

#### Second debate[edit]

ABC News, "Florida Senate Debate 2016 II: Rubio vs. Murphy," October 27, 2016

During the second debate on October 27, 2016, the candidates again argued about their records and Donald Trump. Throughout the campaign and during the debate, Murphy repeatedly criticized Trump's policies and character and Rubio for not un-endorsing Trump. In response to Murphy’s criticism, Rubio replied, “This is now the fifth time. Basically, the answer to every question tonight by Congressman Murphy is Donald Trump.” Rubio also said that Murphy’s platform consisted of “a noun, a verb and Donald Trump.”[50]

The candidates also discussed the following issues: Social Security, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, the future of the Supreme Court, Syria, criminal justice, the minimum wage, and Cuba.[50]

Rubio said that the age to receive Social Security needed to be raised for people in their 40s in order to preserve the program. Rubio said, “For younger workers there’s going to have to be some smaller changes or it won’t exist."[50]

According to Politico, Murphy “said he supports raising the income level that's taxed for Social Security, or payroll tax. Incomes above $127,200 in 2017 will not pay any additional tax. The current cap is $118,500.”[50]

When asked about using ground troops in Syria to fight the Islamic State, Rubio said he would consider using ground troops if the administration developed a strong plan.[50]

Murphy said that he supported helping our allies fight ISIS in Syria and then went on to attack Trump. He accused Trump of wanting to break alliances with our allies. Murphy said, "You’ve got to be able to stand up to people like Donald Trump if you care about our national security.”[50]

Rubio replied by accusing “Murphy of misspeaking about the presence of Kurdish forces, known as Peshmerga, in Syria,” according to Politico.[50]

Rubio said, “Congressman there are no Pesh merga [sic] in Syria. The Peshmerga are Iraqi.”[50]

Murphy said, “Yes and they are helping us fight.”[50]

Rubio replied, “In Iraq, not in Syria. The Syrian Kurds, in fact, don’t get along with the Iraqi Kurds.” Rubio then criticized Hillary Clinton, noting that she was secretary of state when Syria began to destabilize.[50]

#### First debate[edit]

During the first debate on October 17, 2016, Rubio and Murphy repeatedly attacked each other. Rubio criticized Murphy for embellishing his academic and professional résumés and for his lack of accomplishment in the House of Representatives. Murphy criticized Rubio for missing votes in the Senate during his run for president and for supporting Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.[51]

Rubio and Murphy discussed their positions on the Second Amendment and preventing terrorists from obtaining firearms, healthcare, and climate change, among other issues. The full debate can be viewed here.

#### Stanton not invited to debate[edit]

Despite polling at 9 percent support, which was the percentage candidates needed to have to make the debate stage, Stanton was not invited by the debate organizers.[52][53][48]

Stanton commented his exclusion from the debate, saying, “For the record, I support the right of debate organizers to exclude me, even though it probably violates federal election law. That being said, the media and debate organizers will continue being complicit with the political establishment until we the people demand otherwise. I also support including the voices of the NPAswho are each polling much lower than me—in the debates as well.”[48]

According to The Palm Beach Free Press, “Even though his polling numbers in the PPP poll met the criteria laid out by Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association—which chooses the candidates who will be invited—those entities disqualified the PPP polls and would not issue an invitation to Stanton.”[48]

### Murphy’s FEC and FBI investigations[edit]

#### FEC investigation[edit]

In July 2016, Murphy was notified by the Federal Election Commission that it was investigating a complaint filed by the Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, alleging that he accepted $24,000 in illegal contributions in 2011 during his campaign for Florida’s 18th Congressional District seat.[54]

According to The Hill, the complaint “claims that a donor and childhood friend of Murphy’s, Ibrahim Al-Rashid, avoided campaign contribution limits by using the names of employees and the parents of his then-partner as 'straw donors' when the money really came from the Al-Rashid family. … Ibrahim and his brother Ramzi, also named on the complaint, are the sons of a powerful, and politically-connected Saudi billionaire. Ibrahim Al-Rashid has been major financial benefactor of Murphy's, giving almost $400,000 to his campaigns and outside groups supporting Murphy since the Florida congressman first ran in 2012.”[54]

Joshua Karp, a spokesman for Murphy's campaign, said the complaint was “frivolous and unfounded. We expect the FEC to dismiss it in short order, as they do with hundreds of complaints filed by partisan political action committees every year.”[54]

#### FBI investigation[edit]

On November 2, 2016, The Hill reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was also investigating whether Murphy accepted $24,000 in illegal contributions during his 2012 race for the House of Representatives. The Hill's reporters "found no evidence that Murphy himself was involved in, or even aware of, the alleged scheme. The Murphy campaign declined to say whether the candidate is aware of the FBI probe, but the campaign said neither Murphy nor his campaign staff is being investigated."[55]

Murphy's campaign released the following statement about the investigation: “This complaint was written by a Republican super PAC willing to say anything to elect Marco Rubio. Neither Patrick nor any current or past employees have ever been contacted regarding this matter, and we are confident an examination of the facts will result in its dismissal.”[55]

#### Spike in legal fees[edit]

According to The Hill, “From July 6 to Aug. 4, Murphy’s team spent $52,805 on legal fees to two law firms,” which was “1,500 percent higher than the average amount Murphy's campaign spent for the previous 16 months.”[54]

Karp, Murphy’s spokesman, commented on the legal fees, saying that they were unrelated to the FEC investigation. Karp said, "These fees have nothing to do with that complaint. That complaint is frivolous and unfounded. Our recent legal expenses cover work performed back in May and earlier, and are not connected to the Senate Leadership Fund's complaint filed in June."[54]

It was unclear what the legal fees were used for. According to The Hill, some of the fees were paid to the law firm Miller & Chevalier, a firm “known for defending politicians who are dealing with congressional ethics allegations. Only four other candidates over the past two election cycles have hired Miller & Chevalier—Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) and Susie Lee, an unsuccessful candidate this year in a Democratic House primary in Nevada. Three of those four – Gutierrez, Chu, and Honda – faced ethics probes during the same period they hired Miller & Chevalier.”[54]

# Primary election background[edit]

### Primary election recap[edit]

Although former 2016 presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R) said that he would not seek re-election, he announced on June 22, 2016, that he would try to retain his Senate seat after party leaders convinced him that he was the GOP's best shot at winning in November. U.S. Reps. David Jolly (R) and Ron DeSantis (R) and Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R) left the Senate race to clear the way for Rubio, making him the frontrunner in the primary election.[56][57]

Rubio defeated businessman Carlos Beruff (R), entrepreneur and Evangelical pastor Ernie Rivera (R), and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Mark Anthony Young (R) in the Republican primary election on August 30, 2016. A poll released by the St. Leo University Polling Institute on August 23, 2016, showed Rubio with a significant lead over his primary opponents. Among registered Republicans in Florida, Rubio had 68.2 percent support, and Beruff had 14.1 percent. Young and Rivera followed with 3.6 percent support and 2.6 percent support, respectively.[56][57][58][59][60]

On the other side of the aisle, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) defeated U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson (D), attorney and former naval officer Pam Keith (D), businessman Roque De La Fuente (D), and attorney Reginald Luster (D) to win the Democratic nomination.[61][62][63][64][65]

Members of the Democratic Party establishment, including President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, endorsed Murphy in the race instead of Grayson, a progressive firebrand who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders's presidential bid. In February 2016, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called on Grayson drop out of the race after the New York Times published a story about Grayson's actions as a hedge fund manager, which were the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation. Although the Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics wrote that "there is substantial reason to believe" Grayson violated congressional ethics rules by using his name in an offshore hedge fund, Grayson called the report “utterly frivolous” and “replete with amorphous catch-phrases like 'reason to believe.'" Grayson added, "It does not identify any instance where the OCE actually found an ethics violation, or any violation of law.”[66][67][68][69]

Politico reported that Murphy stopped running television ads to save money for the general election because he was confident that he would defeat Grayson in the primary. Murphy led Grayson 48 percent to 17 percent among registered Democrats in Florida, according to an August 23 St. Leo University Polling Institute poll.[70][60]

In the first-ever Florida Senate Libertarian primary election, voters chose Paul Stanton, an Army veteran who served six years in Iraq, over Augustus Sol Invictus, an attorney who "performed animal sacrifices as part of" his religion.[71][72][23]

### Rubio’s decision to run for re-election[edit]

See also: Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016

While campaigning for president, Marco Rubio repeatedly said that he would not seek re-election and disparaged the upper chamber, calling it “dysfunctional.” After his bid for president failed and Republican leaders urged him to enter Florida’s Senate race, Rubio ultimately decided to run for re-election on June 22, 2016. Rubio said that his decision to run was based in part on the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. He said, “No matter who’s elected president, there’s reason to worry. If it’s Hillary Clinton, you know we’re going to have four more years of the same failed economic policies, four more years of the same failed foreign policy. The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me in many ways.” Rubio also said that if Trump was elected, he would “encourage him in the right direction, but if it’s necessary, stand up to him.”[56]

Steven Law, president of the Senate Leadership Fund, said that Rubio was the GOP the best chance to keep Florida’s Senate seat and maintain control of the Senate. Law said, “There is literally one person in America who has the ability to dramatically increase the chances of Republicans keeping the majority — Marco Rubio. If Marco’s in for Florida, we’re in for Florida, it’s just that simple.”[56]

#### Trump encouraged Rubio to run[edit]

On May 26, 2016, after Rubio said that he would vote for Donald Trump, Trump encouraged Rubio to seek re-election, tweeting: “Poll data shows that @marcorubio does by far the best in holding onto his Senate seat in Florida. Important to keep the MAJORITY. Run Marco!”[73][57]

#### Clearing the way for Rubio[edit]

Rumors of Rubio’s possible entry into the race lead U.S. Rep. David Jolly (R) to exit the race on June 17, 2016, the Friday before Rubio announced he would run for re-election. Jolly ran for re-election in Florida's 13th Congressional District.[56]

After Rubio’s June 22 announcement, Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) left the race and ran for re-election in Florida's 6th Congressional District. Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R) also left the race, saying, “He’s [Rubio’s] doing this for the greater good. Before today, I was our best chance to keep the seat Republican. But if Marco runs then he’s our best chance. That’s more important.”[56]

Sarasota developer Carlos Beruff (R), however, decided to remain in the race. Beruff said in a statement, “Career politicians like Marco Rubio worry more about keeping the job than doing the job, and are constantly looking for their next political promotion.”[56]

#### Democratic response to Rubio[edit]

Murphy and Grayson both criticized Rubio’s decision to enter the race and attacked him for missing votes while campaigning for president. Murphy said in a statement, “Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he’s treating them like a consolation prize. From missing the most votes of any Florida senator in nearly 50 years, to seeking to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest, to repeatedly voting against closing the terrorist gun loophole, Rubio is proving he is only out for himself.” Mike Ceraso, Grayson’s campaign manager, criticized Rubio for missing votes, calling him, “No Show Marco.”[56]

### Biden’s support for Murphy[edit]

While campaigning with Murphy in Miami, Vice President Joe Biden drew a contrast between Murphy and Grayson, without mentioning Grayson. He said, “This guy is the real deal. He understands the difference between being authentic and being caustic. He understands the difference between being straight and just being vicious.”[74]

### Questions about Murphy's biography[edit]

CBS Miami, a local TV station, released a report on Patrick Murphy's past on June 22, 2016. The report questioned Murphy's claims of being a certified public accountant and small business owner.[8]

Murphy's campaign manager responded to the report in a statement saying, "CBS Miami’s deeply false story is completely inaccurate in several claims. Overnight there were already seven corrections to this story. In an effort to be as transparent as possible with proprietary corporate records, our campaign shared over 70 pages of corporate records with CBS Miami and submitted over 2,000 words of answers to questions. Almost none of the information we provided is reflected in CBS Miami’s deeply inaccurate reporting, which invents a story about Patrick’s life that is unrecognizable to anyone who knows him."[9]

### First-ever Libertarian primary[edit]

Florida held its first-ever Libertarian Party U.S. Senate primary election on August 30, 2016. Paul Stanton defeated Augustus Sol Invictus.[75]

According to the Florida Division of Elections, the Libertarian Party has around 25,000 registered voters in Florida, which is 3,000 more than the party had in 2014.[75]

Libertarian Party of Florida chairperson Char-Lez Braden commented on the increase in registration for his party, saying that voters are “sick and tired of the business as usual that [they]’ve seen all over the country, not just in Washington, but in Tallahassee, and even at the county levels. And they know it doesn’t have to be that way.”[75]

### Defeated candidates[edit]

#### Alan Grayson hedge funds[edit]

Grayson received criticism for several hedge funds he had in the Cayman Islands, a well-known corporate tax haven. In October 2015, Grayson closed the funds, which he insisted were empty and had never been used. Grayson's office said of the move, "Until this year, the expense of the empty separate, segregated account (which was situated in the Caymans) was minor, i.e., less than $1000 in annual filing fees. This year, the expense would have increased substantially, so both the empty account and the corresponding legal entities have been closed."[76]

The New York Times released an article about Grayson's hedge funds on February 11, 2016. The article displayed an email correspondence between Grayson and his campaign manager. In the correspondence, his manager urged Grayson to close the fund, while Grayson argued that doing so would look like "an admission of wrongdoing."[77]

The House Ethics Committee acknowledged that it was looking into complaints about Grayson's hedge funds on February 22, 2016.[78]

##### Establishment urged Grayson to withdraw[edit]

After the New York Times published an article on Grayson's hedge funds, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D) urged Grayson to drop out of the race. Reid said in a statement, "Grayson claims to be a progressive, but it seems like he has no moral compass." He went on, "These deeply troubling allegations should disqualify anyone from a seat in the U.S. Senate."[67]

In response to Reid's remarks, Grayson said, "The reason why he is making such an absurd statement at all is that he knows that I’m well ahead in the polls and heading for a strong primary victory. Thank goodness that he will be gone from Washington, D.C., when I am sworn into the Senate. ... Sen. Reid may well prefer corrupt Establishment errand boy Patrick Murphy, who routinely sells his vote to Wall Street lobbyists."[67]

#### Grayson accused of domestic abuse[edit]

On July 26, 2016, Politico reported that Lolita Grayson, Alan Grayson's ex-wife, filed multiple reports from 1994 to 2014 accusing her former husband of abusing her. According to Politico, “Lolita Grayson called police on her husband at least two times in Virginia and two more times in Florida, sought medical attention on at least two occasions and said that, in one instance, he had threatened to kill her, according to a police report.”[79]

Alan Grayson denied all of the allegations of abuse and “asserted Lolita Grayson battered him in 2014.”[79]

Lolita Grayson said in an email to Politico, “I want the people to know my story so they know what kind of man Alan Grayson really is. … I requested the medical records and police records so people could read what doctors and police officers wrote. I read many of these records for the first time. These are very painful memories and horrible experiences.”[79]

Mark NeJame, Alan Grayson’s lawyer, responded to the accusations, saying, "Lolita is a disturbed woman. She has made one false allegation after another. Her own daughter refutes her. Moreover, there never has been a witness or any proof whatsoever of her claims. The claims have been so ridiculous that not one time has there even been enough probable cause to bring a charge or an arrest against Alan Grayson."[79]

#### Grayson's staff turnover[edit]

Several top members of Grayson's staff, including his campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, and senior adviser reportedly left the campaign in December 2015.[80]

#### Wyllie resignation over Invictus[edit]

On October 1, 2015, Florida’s Libertarian Party Chairman Adrian Wyllie resigned after the party’s executive committee declined to publicly disavow Augustus Sol Invictus’ candidacy. At the time, Invictus was the only Libertarian candidate in the race.[72]

In a Facebook post, Wyllie accused Invictus of promoting “Violent Fascist and Neo-Nazi ideologies.”[81]

During an interview with Politico, Wyllie discussed his post and his decision to resign, saying, “I resigned to draw attention to this, as a protest. I did this as a pre-emptive strike. I don’t want anyone to think this guy represents Libertarians. He doesn’t. Under the law, we can’t keep him from the ballot.”[72]

Invictus told Politico that “he does not support eugenics and forced abortions, contrary to Wyllie’s claims.” He added that, although he has represented members of Neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups as a lawyer, “he’s no racist.” Invictus said, “My four children are Hispanic.”[72]

### Withdrawn candidates[edit]

#### Jolly's feud with the NRCC[edit]

In January 2016, Rep. David Jolly (R) announced that he would stop personally fundraising for his Senate campaign. He argued that members of Congress spend too much time fundraising and not enough time focusing on doing their jobs as elected officials. Jolly even introduced legislation that would prohibit members of Congress from personally raising money.[82]

As a result of this legislation, Jolly appeared on an episode of 60 Minutes which aired on April 24, 2016. Jolly described the fundraising process for members of Congress on the show. Jolly said, "We sat behind closed doors at one of the party headquarter back rooms in front of a white board where the equation was drawn out. You have six months until the election. Break that down to having to raise $2 million in the next six months. And your job, new member of Congress, is to raise $18,000 a day. Your first responsibility is to make sure you hit $18,000 a day." In addition, an anonymous staffer helped the program get inside the Republican fundraising center with a hidden camera.[82]

In response to Jolly's television appearance, the NRCC wrote a letter to 60 Minutes discounting Jolly's claims. The letter stated that "Jolly describes a meeting with the NRCC where he was told he was required to raise $18,000 each day through fundraising calls. Simply put, this meeting never happened. It is a work of fiction." The letter also accused 60 Minutes of trespassing.[83]

### Declined to run[edit]

#### Wasserman Schultz candidacy[edit]

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) was considered one of the top Democratic candidates to run for the Senate seat. However, she announced on March 17, 2015, that she would not seek the Senate seat and would instead run for re-election to the House. She said, "I will be running for reelection to the United States House of Representatives and serving my full four-year term that President Obama has asked me to serve as chair of the DNC."[84]

# Issues[edit]

### Healthcare[edit]

See also: Effect of the Affordable Care Act in Florida

As healthcare premiums rose, the future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, became a central issue in the Senate race. According to The Miami Herald, “Insurers are raising the 2017 premiums for a popular and significant group of health plans sold through HealthCare.gov by an average of 25 percent, more than triple the increase for this year, according to new government figures.”[85] Rubio proposed repealing and replace the ACA, while Murphy proposed fixing it.

#### Rubio: Replace the ACA[edit]

During the debate on October 17, 2016, Rubio criticized the ACA. He said, “Well, I would just say that to say that the Obamacare has some problems would be the equivalent to saying the Titanic has some problems. It has enormous problems. Number 1, running up our debt. Number two, people are losing their coverage. In about three weeks, over half a million Floridians are going to lose their coverage again. It's collapsing under its own weight because it doesn't work. By the way, one of the things I'm proudest of is I led an effort to defund a bailout fund that they had built into Obamacare. They had put into Obamacare a fund where they were going to use your taxpayer money to bail out private insurance companies who lost money under Obamacare and I prevented that from happening."[86]

The debate moderator then criticized Rubio for not being able to lower the uninsured rate while he was in the Florida legislature.[86]

Rubio responded by blaming the governor for undermining the solutions that the legislature developed to address the problem. He added that he offered a plan to replace the ACA. He said, “Every American will either have tax‑free money from their employer to buy health insurance. They will be provided health insurance from their employee, or they will have a refundable tax credit to purchase health insurance from any company they want in America across state lines.”[86]

#### Murphy: Fix the ACA[edit]

During the debate on October 17, 2016, Murphy said that he wanted to fix the ACA, and then he attacked Rubio for wanting to replace the healthcare law. Murphy said, “Well, the affordable care act [sic] was a huge step forward for our country, but it's not perfect, and there's many things that we have to do to improve it, and that's exactly what I've spent my time in the congress [sic] trying to do is find those moderate reforms to improve the affordable care act [sic], and you think of my opponent, Senator Marco Rubio, right, who has spent the last six years in the senate [sic] trying to undermine that legislation. You see, he wants to take us back to the days where women could be charged more than men just for being women, where insurance companies could deny you coverage if you had a preexisting condition, where insurance companies could drop you if you got sick. … I believe there are some common sense reforms we can make. I think expanding Medicaid, that would be 900,000 people in Florida alone that would have access to healthcare, but you've gotta be willing to work across the aisle to find that common ground.”[86]

### Climate change and energy policy[edit]

During the debate on October 17, 2016, Rubio and Murphy were asked about rising sea levels in Florida.[86]

Rubio explained his approach to dealing with problems associated with climate change without harming the economy in the following statement: “I am 100 percent in favor of mitigation. If, in fact, sea levels are rising and they're impacting our communities, we should spend money to mitigate that. I have a history of working on those issues going back to the Florida Legislature when I was speaker and we funded millions of dollars in water projects to prevent flooding. The community I live in in West Miami used to flood severely. Today it floods less so. Here's the only thing I've said: I've said that as a policy maker, you have to show me whether the laws that you want me to pass will actually impact the issue that you are raising. And so I have people come to me and say we want you to pass these laws on carbon emissions and I asked them, well, how many inches of sea rise will it prevent, and they say well, none, but it will set a good example for the world. And then I ask the economist, how many jobs will this destroy? How much would it increase the cost of living? And they say pretty dramatically. So they're asking me to support policies that will have no impact on the environment, since china [sic] is more than making up for any carbon cuts we would do, but it's going to have a devastating impact on our economy? That's not the approach I want to take. Here's the better approach. Number one, mitigation. Number two, I do want this nation to have an all of the above energy strategy. That includes wind and solar and biofuels and renewables. I just think it's irresponsible not to also say we're going to fully utilize natural gas and oil and nuclear energy, and, yes, clean coal technology has a place in it as well. We should have the broadest, most diverse energy subset possible.”[86]

Murphy responded by criticizing Rubio for denying science in the following statement: “National Geographic named Miami as the number one city in the world to be impacted by climate change. Senator Rubio said that he's not a scientist. Senator, you don't need to be a scientist. Look out your window, right? There's two or three inches of salt water on the roads right now. They were not built under water. Go down to the Florida Keys. The reefs are dying from acidification and bleaching. Come to my district. You'll see the algae. You'll see what's happening there. It's the most biologically diverse estuary in the whole country. Go to the panhandle. You'll see the oyster beds dying. Everywhere I go in Florida I see the effects of this. Senator Rubio denies science.”[86]

### Campaign themes[edit]

####  Marco Rubio[edit]

The following issues were listed on Rubio's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“  |

* Strong Families: Strong families are the core of American greatness: Without strong families, America’s strong values will not endure, and the American Dream will disappear. Being raised in a stable home by a mother and a father is an incredible privilege but, unfortunately, one that is increasingly rare.Too often in recent years, through both economic and social policy, Washington has tried to compete with families rather than support and defend them. It has left American families weaker than they once were, and the institutions that teach values and support families, such as churches and civil society groups, are ailing, too.

* Common Core: Common Core has been used by the Obama Administration to turn the Department of Education into a national school board. This effort to coerce states into adhering to national curriculum standards is the wrong way to help our children attain the best education, and it must be stopped.

* Jobs: Since joining the Senate, Marco has worked tirelessly to help Florida businesses compete in the 21st century economy. As a member of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, Marco knows that Washington’s failure to cut taxes and reduce regulations is hurting the ability of Florida businesses – especially our 2.3 million small businesses – to create jobs and increase wages for all workers.

* Energy: America is blessed with abundant energy resources. Thanks to new technology and innovation, our country is poised to become the world’s energy superpower even as our emissions have been declining. If we harness our energy potential in the right way, and let innovation flourish, we will ensure that energy is affordable for consumers and families, help businesses grow and create jobs, protect our environment, strengthen our national security, and increase America’s influence around the world.

* Terrorism: The chaos in Iraq and Syria over the last several years has allowed the terrorist group ISIS, also known as the Islamic State or ISIL, to become a threat of global proportions, with the capacity to inspire and carry out attacks here in the United States.

[87]

|  ”

|
|

—Marco Rubio's campaign website, https://marcorubio.com/issues/

####  Patrick Murphy[edit]

The following issues were listed on Murphy's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“  |

* Growing the Middle Class: Growing Florida’s middle class is Patrick’s top priority, and he works tirelessly every day in Congress to make sure that hardworking families have the chance to succeed, and to make sure the doors of opportunity are open to every Floridian. Creating well-paying middle class jobs must remain our number one priority.

* Immigration Reform: We are a nation of immigrants, and Patrick is committed to fixing our broken immigration system, strengthening our economy, keeping families together, and ensuring our communities are safe.

* Protecting Voting Rights: The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and protecting access to the ballot box is one of Patrick’s top priorities. He has voted to restore and expand the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and supports legislation to guarantee early voting and reduce wait times at the polls.

* Social Security and Medicare: Social Security and Medicare are pillars of the American middle class, and no one fights harder than Patrick to strengthen and protect these vital programs. Patrick has been endorsed by the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans because of his advocacy for the issues that matter to Florida’s seniors.

* Our Environment: As a native Floridian — and the first “Conch,” born in the Florida Keys, elected to Congress — Patrick understands how important it is to the Sunshine State’s future that we protect our environment.

[87]

|  ”

|
|

—Patrick Murphy's campaign website, https://www.murphyforflorida.com/vision/

####  Paul Stanton[edit]

The following issues were listed on Stanton's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“  |

* Business Taxation: Businesses leave the United States for a multitude of reasons, one of which, is corporate taxation. While corporate taxation can contribute to stifling business and job growth, this is especially true for small businesseses. Large corporations are actually in a much better position to handle taxation because of their ability to pay it and/or move operations offshore as to avoid the taxation. Small businesses that are incorporated and looking to grow are not awarded those same privileges.

* Drug Reform: The “War On Drugs,” has become a device through which those in power have taken our liberties from us, and provide only fear and oppression in return. By bringing this war to an end, we will be able to remove the roadblocks that prevent addicts from getting help, and end the pattern of selectively-enforced felony convictions created by the “War on Drugs” that oppress minorities, the poor, and those not well connected, and that encourage drug users to retreat in fear from their families, their aspirations. While we Libertarians support the right to do anything peaceful and honest, ending the drug war must be a top priority.

* Poverty: While many politicians pay lip service to helping the poor and disadvantaged, the policies they have put in place actually look more like a war on the poor than a war on poverty. Creating opportunities for all Americans, especially the most marginalized in society, must be a priority. Instead, the focus of policymakers has been on creating a system by which the rich are able to socialize their losses across society at the expense of the poor and working class. We must have a strong economy that provides opportunities for Americans from every walk of life, not just the corporate elite.

* Crony Capitalism: The market is not what is wrong with the United States economy, but the perversion of the market in favor of a government owned by big business in a symbiotic relationship between the two. Large corporations lobby government and contribute large sums of money to campaigns in order to have their bills passed through congress. Many regulations are made not to protect the consumer, but to protect big business from competition.

* Monetary Policy: There is a long history within the United States of strong opposition to the establishment of a national bank, and that battle lives on today. The Federal Reserve has devalued our currency through quantitative easing and low interest rate policies, erasing the savings of many hardworking Americans. Loose monetary policy has been an aid to a growing federal government, using the funds for wars and bailouts. I advocate a complete and full audit of the Federal Reserve as a first step to bring transparency to an organization that largely operates in the shadows.

[87]

|  ”

|
|

—Paul Stanton's campaign website, http://stanton2016.com/solutions.html

# Presidential preference[edit]

###  Rubio[edit]

See also: Republicans and their declared positions on Donald Trump

Cleveland.com, "Marco Rubio addresses the RNC," June 20, 2016.

On April 21, 2016, Rubio reiterated his promise to support the Republican nominee. He said, "I've always said I'm going to support the Republican nominee, and that's especially true now that it's apparent that Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic candidate. ... My differences with Donald Trump are well documented, and obviously we had 12 months to talk about those. I'm not saying he's going to be the nominee. We don't know that yet ... but Hillary Clinton would be a disaster for America. She really would. I think she's got a lot of ethical questions surrounding her campaign. I think she was not a very good secretary of state, and, quite frankly, she's a candidate that looks backwards. America needs to turn the page and move towards the future."[88]

Rubio fulfilled his promise and endorsed Donald Trump in the video played at the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016. Rubio said, “Hillary Clinton does not have the honesty, the courage or the independence to be the president we need for the next four years after the president we've had for the past eight. But unlike Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is committed to cut taxes, curb spending and get our national debt under control. Unlike Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump takes seriously the threats from Islamic radicals and is committed to rebuilding our military. And unlike Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, he is committed to appointing constitutionalist judges, who will respect the proper role of the judiciary. After a long and spirited primary, the time for fighting each other is over. It’s time to come together and fight for a new direction for America. It's time to win in November.”[89][90]

###  Murphy[edit]

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

On August 12, 2015, Murphy endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. In an email, Murphy's campaign wrote, “Patrick and Team Murphy are proud to endorse Hillary Clinton for president. Both Patrick and Hillary believe that we can work together to build a better economy for tomorrow and strengthen our middle class. And as excited as we are about a possible President Hillary Clinton, we’re even more pumped about a possible Senator Patrick Murphy.”[91]

#### Murphy on Clinton’s trustworthiness[edit]

During an interview, Murphy was asked if he trusted Clinton. He replied, "[Y]es, I do." According to CNN, “[P]olls show most Floridians distrust the former secretary of state.”[7]

Rubio criticized Murphy for his comments, saying, “Yesterday he [Murphy] said Hillary Clinton is someone who’s trustworthy, which puts him in a very small minority of Americans who believe that. He would be a rubber stamp for, God forbid, a Clinton presidency.”[6]

###  Stanton[edit]

See also: Gary Johnson presidential campaign, 2016

During an interview on August 30, 2016, Stanton said that he was flattered to earn the support of Libertarian leaders, including Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson and his running mate Bill Weld. He also explained his history of supporting Johnson. He said, “It’s deeply flattering. It really is. Some of these people are personal heroes of mine. I’ve supported them in their endeavors and now they’re supporting me in mine. And it’s a big responsibility. I of course need to keep true to the message, the message of liberty. And I need to ensure that the endorsement wasn’t made in vain. It’s sort of amazing to think that I voted for Johnson and Gray in 2012 for President of the United State, and now they’re behind me. They’re all wonderful people.”[46]

### Withdrawn candidates[edit]

####  Grayson[edit]

See also: Endorsements for Bernie Sanders

Grayson endorsed Bernie Sanders for president on February 29, 2016. He wrote, "I hereby endorse Bernie Sanders to be our Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I will vote for him as a Super-delegate at the Democratic National Convention. And I enthusiastically join, shoulder to shoulder, his political revolution. ... Bernie Sanders and I share a goal of building a grassroots movement of people who want to take back our country from the billionaires and the multinational corporations. We want to make elections into something different: Not the lesser of two evils, but the greater good."[92]

# Endorsements[edit]

###  Marco Rubio[edit]

* Sen. Ted Cruz \- "Marco is a friend and has been an ally in many battles we have fought together in the Senate. I'm glad to support him in his bid for re-election."[93]

* The Club for Growth \- “The Club for Growth PAC has been determined to keep this Florida Senate seat in the hands of economic conservatives since November 2014, when we first endorsed Senator Rubio’s re-election. When Marco announced his retirement from the Senate and launched his presidential bid, the Club’s PAC was quick to endorse Rep. Ron DeSantis, who has a 96% lifetime Club score. With today’s announcement by Senator Rubio and the anticipation that Rep. DeSantis will run again in FL-06, we are committed to the re-election of both of these pro-growth candidates.”[94]

* Donald Trump \- "I endorsed Marco Rubio. He endorsed me. He's doing well."[95]

* Miami Herald \- "Voters whose overriding priority is to ensure that it remains in Republican hands and maintains the GOP’s precarious majority in the Senate will go with Sen. Rubio in the primary. He’s by far their best bet."[96]

* Orlando Sentinel \- "Rubio remains far better equipped than Beruff to represent Florida in the U.S. Senate. A former state House speaker, he is knowledgeable and articulate on public policy."[97]

* Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List \- “Rubio is one of the strongest, most articulate champions in the fight for unborn children and their mothers. Senator Rubio provides us with the strongest chance to win and maintain this consistent pro-life voice in Washington."[98]

* FreedomWorks PAC \- Chairman Adam Brando said, “We hope conservatives in Florida and elsewhere will rally behind Rubio and ensure that the Senate stays out of Democrat hands. He is a young and energetic conservative leader who understands that regulatory reform and spending reform are necessary to help restore prosperity in America."[98]

* Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush[99]

* National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) - Chairman Chris W. Cox, said, “Marco Rubio is a strong advocate for the rights of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen. He has fought to preserve our Second Amendment freedoms and hunting heritage, and stood strong against President Obama, Hillary Clinton and former New York City billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s extreme gun-control agenda." He earned an “A+” rating from the NRA.[100]

###  Patrick Murphy[edit]

* President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden \- Obama said, "I am proud to endorse Congressman Patrick Murphy for the United States Senate."[66]

* Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton \- “I am proud to endorse Patrick Murphy to be Florida's next U.S. Senator. Patrick is a problem solver who will work hard for the people of Florida. From strengthening our middle class to fighting for common-sense solutions to reduce gun violence to protecting women's health care, I know that I can count on Patrick to be a strong partner in the U.S. Senate. Florida families deserve a leader who will put their interests first - and I know that Patrick Murphy will be a voice for families across the state."[101]

* Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee \- "Patrick Murphy is one of our party’s most promising rising stars, and his track record of fighting for Florida’s working families, seniors, and the environment make him the strongest candidate to win the Florida Senate race and flip this seat. During his time in the House, Patrick has stepped up to protect the Florida Everglades, voted down extreme proposals that would harm Medicare, voted to protect Social Security and fought to ensure that working families are given a fair chance to get ahead. I am confident that Patrick will continue working hard for all Floridians following his successful election to the Senate and we are proud to support his campaign."[102]

* Former Governor Charlie Crist \- "Congressman Murphy will bring refreshing energy, integrity, and work ethic to the United States Senate. He knows it's all about the people — that's why I know Floridians will join me in volunteering for and supporting Patrick early."[103]

* Rep. Frederica Wilson \- "This gentleman will make a fine Senator. Since arriving in Congress, Patrick has distinguished himself as a leader who will work across the aisle to improve the lives of Floridians. He has championed legislation that will create jobs, protect our most vulnerable, and support working families."[104]

* Rep. Kathy Castor \- Patrick and I have worked together to fight for Florida families and make college more affordable in Congress and that is why I am proud to endorse his candidacy for U.S. Senate. I trust Patrick to stand up for our priorities. From making college more affordable for our students to defending Social Security for seniors and protecting our environment, I know Floridians can trust Patrick to fight for them. I look forward to the work we will do together when Patrick is our next U.S. Senator."[105]

* The Florida AFSCME[106]

* The Florida Teamsters - "Patrick Murphy is exactly the leader Florida’s working families need right now. Unlike anyone else in this race, he will put politics aside in the U.S. Senate and get things done for the middle class."[107]

* Former Sen. Bob Graham \- "I’m confident that Patrick, with his knowledge, energy and his demeanor, will be a very effective representative for Florida interests in Washington."[108]

* The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) - "AFGE is proud to endorse Patrick because we know we can trust him to fight for our employees and for hardworking families across Florida. As the largest federal employee union, we make America work and we know that Patrick will fight every day in the U.S. Senate to protect us."[109]

* The Florida Education Association - "We support Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate because he has proven time and time again wholehearted commitment to education and Florida’s teachers and education staff professionals. Patrick has stood with our teachers, education staff professionals, parents and students when it mattered the most. He knows that there is nothing more important to Florida's children's futures than a high-quality education."[110]

* The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) - "Congressman Murphy is well prepared to serve as our United States Senator and has earned the support of SEIU Florida members across the state by aggressively fighting for policy solutions that are important to Florida’s working families."[111]

* Orlando Sentinel \- "Florida Democrats who want a senator with the political and social capital to advance their interests are better off with Murphy."[97]

###  Paul Stanton[edit]

* Former Governor of New Mexico and Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson[112]

* Former Governor of Massachusetts and Libertarian vice presidential nominee Bill Weld[112]

* Former Libertarian vice presidential nominee Jim Gray[112]

* CEO of MGT Capital Investments John McAfee[112]

* CEO of Liberty Lobby Darryl Perry[112]

* Dr. Marc Allan Feldman[112]

* Former chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida Adrian Wyllie[112]

* Eastern Liberty Alliance PAC[112]

* Ninjas for Liberty PAC[112]

* Vote Different Initiative[112]

### Defeated candidates[edit]

####  Alan Grayson[edit]

* Communications Workers of America - "With most members of Congress, CWA members need to lobby and follow up on our issues, but with Rep. Alan Grayson, that’s not the case. Rep. Grayson is constantly out front in the fight for our priorities. Whether it's expanding retirement and health care benefits and opposing corporate money in politics, or taking on the deeply-flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, Grayson has always been an unbending union ally."[113][114]

* On March 29, 2016, Democracy for America (DFA) and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) endorsed Grayson. On July 27, 2016, both groups withdrew their endorsements after Grayson's ex-wife released documents accusing her former husband of domestic abuse.[115]

* DFA Chairman Jim Dean said in a statement, “Having a fighter like Alan Grayson in the U.S. Senate would be nothing short of game-changing for our country and Florida’s struggling working families, and we couldn’t be more excited to help make that happen in the weeks and months ahead.”[115]

* PCCC co-founders Adam Green and Stephanie Taylor said in a statement, "Every step of the way — from Wall Street reform to expanding Social Security to being a national leader for Medicare expansion — Alan Grayson has stood with progressives as one of our boldest and most reliable allies. He's a national leader for expanding Medicare and has consistently said no to cutting Social Security benefits."[115]

* In a joint statement, DFA and the PCCC withdrew their support for Grayson citing “revelations of years of police reports about allegations of domestic abuse. … Unfortunately, this deeply disappointing revelation means progressives have no great options in the Florida race for Senate.”[114]

####  Pam Keith[edit]

* Miami Herald \- “This long-shot candidate brings one of the freshest perspectives to Florida politics heard in a long time. She is accomplished, credible — and has been left out in the cold by state Democratic leaders and her two better-known opponents. And that, too, is a shame for democracy.”[96]

# Polls[edit]

Florida Senate - Marco Rubio vs. Patrick Murphy

Poll |  Marco Rubio |  Patrick Murphy| Margin of Error| Sample Size
CBS News/YouGov
October 20-21, 2016 | 44%| 42%| +/-3.6| 1,042
FOX 13/Opinion Savvy
October 20, 2016 | 46%| 46%| +/-4.2| 538
Quinnipiac University
October 10-16, 2016 | 49%| 47%| +/-3.8| 660
Public Policy Polling
October 12-13, 2016 | 48%| 43%| +/-3.1| 985
Gravis Marketing
October 11-13, 2016 | 44%| 36%| +/-2.3| 1,799
Opinion Savvy
October 10-11, 2016 | 48%| 44%| +/-4.2| 533
NBC/WSJ/Marist
October 3-5, 2016 | 48%| 46%| +/-3.7| 700
Gravis Marketing
October 4, 2016 | 44%| 40%| +/-3.4| 821
Emerson College
October 2-4, 2016 | 47%| 39%| +/-3.9| 600
Quinnipiac University
September 27-October 2, 2016 | 48%| 44%| +/-4.2| 545
FOX 13/Opinion Savvy
September 28-29, 2016 | 47%| 43%| +/-4.0| 619
Florida Chamber of Commerce
September 15-20, 2016 | 46%| 42%| +/-4.0| 617
Suffolk University
September 19-21, 2016 | 43%| 34%| +/-4.4| 500
Monmouth University
September 16-19, 2016 | 47%| 45%| +/-4.9| 400
New York Times/Siena College
September 10-14, 2016 | 48%| 42%| +/-3.3| 867
CCN/ORC
September 7-12, 2016 | 54%| 43%| +/-3.5| 788
JMC Analytics
September 7-8, 2016 | 43%| 38%| +/-3.5| 781
Quinnipiac University
August 31-September 7, 2016 | 50%| 43%| +/-4.0| 601
Public Policy Polling
September 4-6, 2016 | 40%| 37%| +/-3.6| 744
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

# Media[edit]

###  Marco Rubio[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"Keep America Safe" - Rubio's first ad, released August 2016

"Served" - Rubio ad on veterans, released August 2016

" Me Conoce" - Rubio campaign ad, released October 2016

#### Opposition[edit]

"Weaken Us" - Senate Majority PAC ad opposing Rubio, released September 2016

"Priorities" - AFSCME ad opposing Rubio, released September 2016

"Negligente" - Murphy ad opposing Rubio, released September 2016

"Even Worse" - Senate Majority PAC ad opposing Rubio, released September 2016

###  Patrick Murphy[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"Endorse" - Senate Majority PAC ad endorsing Patrick Murphy

"Strong" - Murphy's first TV ad, released July 2016

"Work" - Murphy ad attacking Marco Rubio for his voting record in the Senate

"Reckless" - Murphy campaign ad, released September 2016

"Office" - Murphy campaign ad, released October 2016

" Inmigración" - Murphy campaign ad, released October 2016

"Su Voto" - Murphy campaign ad featuring President Obama, released October 2016

#### Opposition[edit]

"End Ex-Im - Rep. Murphy" - Club for Growth ad promoting Grayson over Murphy

"Trust" - U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad opposing Murphy, released July 2016

AmericanFutureFund ad opposing Murphy, released July 2016

"Revealed" - NRSC ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Audition" - NRSC ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Report" - Rubio ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Ranked" - Rubio ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Dangerously" - Senate Leadership Fund ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Weakness" - NRA ad opposing Murphy, released September 2016

"Time 30" - One Nation ad opposing Murphy, released October 2016

### Defeated candidates[edit]

####  Carlos Beruff[edit]

"Forget Them" - Ad released April 2016

"Teleprompter" - Ad released April 2016

"Clean House" - Ad released July 2016

"Why" - Beruff ad attacking Rubio for not supporting Donald Trump

"Tough on Terror" - Beruff ad attacking Rubio, released July 2016

"Career Politicians" - Beruff ad attacking Rubio, released August 2016

"He Wasn't There" - Beruff ad attacking Rubio for missing votes in the Senate

### Candidates who withdrew from the race[edit]

####  Ron DeSantis[edit]

DeSantis released his first primary ad on March 3, 2016.

"Accountable" - Ron DeSantis

####  Carlos Lopez-Cantera[edit]

"Contempt" - Lopez-Cantera's first ad, released May 2016

## Campaign contributions[edit]

* * *

Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

* * *

Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

### Marco Rubio[edit]

* * *

Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

### Patrick Murphy[edit]

* * *

Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

* * *

The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

* * *

## Presidential impact[edit]

Presidential elections have a significant impact on congressional elections, the most obvious of which is increased voter interest and participation. In the last two decades, presidential elections have led to roughly 15 to 20 percent higher turnout rates than in the corresponding midterm elections.[116] The following chart shows the disparity between voter turnout in presidential elections and midterms.

In the past decade, presidential elections have benefited the Democratic Party, while midterms have helped Republicans. The Democratic Party gained an average of 5 Senate seats in the last two presidential elections, and the Republican Party picked up an average of 7.5 seats in the last two midterms.[117] The fact that 2016 was a presidential election cycle was a cause of increased Republican vulnerability in the Senate.

## Election history[edit]

### 2012[edit]

See also: United States Senate elections in Florida, 2012

On November 6, 2012, Bill Nelson won re-election to the United States Senate. He defeated Connie Mack (R), Bill Gaylor (I), and Chris Borgia (I) in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Florida General Election, 2012

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Bill Nelson Incumbent | 55.2% | 4,523,451
| Republican  |  Connie Mack  | 42.2% | 3,458,267
| Independent  |  Bill Gaylor  | 1.5% | 126,079
| Independent  |  Chris Borgia  | 1% | 82,089
| N/A  |  Write-ins  | 0% | 60
Total Votes | 8,189,946
Source: Florida Election Watch "U.S. Senator"

### 2010[edit]

On November 2, 2010, Rubio won election to the United States Senate. He defeated Kendrick B. Meek (D), Alexander Andrew Snitker (L), Bernie DeCastro (I), Charlie Crist (I), Sue Askeland (I), Rick Tyler (I), Lewis Jerome Armstrong (I), Bobbie Bean (I), Bruce Ray Riggs (I), Piotr Blass (I), Richard Lock (I), Belinda Gail Quarterman-Noah (I), Geroge Drake (I), Robert Monroe (I), Howard Knepper (I) and Carol Ann Joyce LaRose (I) in the general election.[118]

U.S. Senate, Florida General Election, 2010

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Marco Rubio | 48.9% | 2,645,743
| Democratic  |  Kendrick B. Meek  | 20.2% | 1,092,936
| Libertarian  |  Alexander Andrew Snitker  | 0.5% | 24,850
| Constitution Party of Florida  |  Bernie DeCastra  | 0.1% | 4,792
| Independent  |  Charlie Crist  | 29.7% | 1,607,549
| Independent  |  Sue Askeland  | 0.3% | 15,340
| Independent  |  Rick Tyler  | 0.1% | 7,397
| Independent  |  Lewis Jerome Armstrong  | 0.1% | 4,443
| Independent  |  Bobbie Bean  | 0.1% | 4,301
| Independent  |  Bruce Ray Riggs  | 0.1% | 3,647
| Independent  |  Piotr Blass  | 0% | 47
| Independent  |  Richard Lock  | 0% | 18
| Independent  |  Belinda Gail Quarterman-Noah  | 0% | 18
| Independent  |  George Drake  | 0% | 13
| Independent  |  Robert Monroe  | 0% | 6
| Independent  |  Howard Knepper  | 0% | 4
| Independent  |  Carol Ann Joyce LaRosa  | 0% | 2
Total Votes | 5,411,106

## Important dates and deadlines[edit]

See also: Florida elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in Florida in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016

Deadline  |  Event type  |  Event description
January 11, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
February 10, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
March 10, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
March 15, 2016 | Election date  |  Presidential primary election
April 4, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Deadline for judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates qualifying by petition to submit completed petitions to supervisors of elections
April 11, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
May 2, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Qualifying period for judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates begins
May 6, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Qualifying period for judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates ends
May 10, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
May 23, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Deadline for federal, state representative, state senate, county office and special district candidates qualifying by petition to submit completed petitions to supervisors of elections
June 10, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
June 20, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Qualifying period for federal, state representative, state senate, county office and special district candidates begins
June 24, 2016 | Ballot access  |  Qualifying period for federal, state representative, state senate, county office and special district candidates ends
July 1, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
July 15, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
July 29, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
August 4, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Termination report due, if applicable
August 5, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
August 12, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
August 19, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
August 26, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
August 30, 2016 | Election date  |  Primary election
September 9, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
September 22, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Termination report due, if applicable
September 23, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
October 7, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
October 14, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
October 21, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
October 28, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
November 4, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Campaign finance report due
November 8, 2016 | Election date  |  General election
November 28, 2016 | Campaign finance  |  Termination report due, if applicable
February 6, 2017 | Campaign finance  |  Termination report due, if applicable
Sources: Florida Division of Elections, "2015-2017 Election Dates Calendar," June 4, 2015
Florida Division of Elections, "Calendar of Reporting Dates for 2016 Candidates Registered with the Division of Elections," accessed January 11, 2016

## See also[edit]

* United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2016
* United States Senate elections, 2016
* Marco Rubio

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2016 Senate Race Ratings," accessed November 6, 2016
2. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2016 Senate," accessed November 6, 2016
3. ↑ Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, "Senate Ratings," accessed November 6, 2016
4. ↑ The New York Times, "Marco Rubio and John McCain Win Primaries in Florida and Arizona," accessed September 2, 2016
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Politico, "How Rubio outdid Trump in Florida and revived his career," accessed November 15, 2016
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Politico, "Rubio: GOP has tough fight ahead to maintain Senate control," accessed August 22, 2016
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 CNN, "Ahead of Florida primary, Rubio offers Trump a tepid embrace," accessed September 2, 2016
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 CBS Miami, "The Making of Patrick Murphy," June 22, 2016
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Patrick Murphy for Senate, "Press Releases / Setting the Record Straight On Yesterday’s Misleading CBS Miami Report," June 23, 2016
10. ↑ PolitiFact, "Mostly True: Marco Rubio has worst voting record of any Florida senator in nearly 50 years," accessed September 3, 2016
11. ↑ Breitbart, "Rubio Wins Reelection Bid — Gives Victory Speech in English and Spanish," accessed November 15, 2016
12. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
13. ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
14. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
15. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Closed Primary Election," accessed October 25, 2019
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Washington Post, "Marco Rubio will seek Senate re-election, reversing pledge not to run," June 22, 2016
17. ↑ Candidates are listed by party and alphabetically within each party.
18. ↑ Daily KOS, "Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Michael Grimm pleads guilty but won't leave the House," December 24, 2014
19. ↑ Daily KOS, "Alan Grayson mulls a run for Marco Rubio's Senate seat," January 26, 2015
20. ↑ Miami Herald, "Alan Grayson says he’s in Florida’s U.S. Senate race," July 9, 2015
21. ↑ Pam Keith U.S. Senate 2016, "Home," accessed August 28, 2015
22. ↑ Rocky for Senate, "Home," accessed June 20, 2016
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 Florida Department of State, "Candidate Listing for 2016 General Election," accessed June 25, 2016
24. ↑ The Washington Post, "Marco Rubio has some advice for Rand Paul: Go big or go home.," April 13, 2015
25. ↑ Ernie Rivera for Senate, "Home," accessed November 21, 2015
26. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Bradenton developer Carlos Beruff is launching campaign for U.S. Senate," February 25, 2016
27. ↑ Howard Knepper for Senate, "Home," accessed December 30, 2015
28. ↑ Invictus for United States Senate, "Home," accessed May 16, 2016
29. ↑ Independent Political Report, "Paul Stanton Announces Campaign for Florida U.S. Senate Seat," May 12, 2016
30. ↑ Tony Khory for US Senate, accessed May 3, 2016
31. ↑ Steven Machat for Senate, "Home," accessed May 17, 2016
32. ↑ Charles Frderick Tolbert for Senate, "Home," accessed January 22, 2016
33. ↑ Email submission to Ballotpedia, May 5, 2016
34. ↑ The Tampa Tribune, "Jolly seeking Rubio's Senate seat; Crist eyes House," July 20, 2015
35. ↑ The Tampa Bay Times, "David Jolly poised to drop out of Senate race today," June 17, 2016
36. ↑ Reuters, "Florida Congressman Ron DeSantis running for U.S. Senate," May 6, 2015
37. ↑ Florida Politics, "Ron DeSantis will run for re-election in CD 6," June 22, 2016
38. ↑ Politico, "GOP race to replace Marco Rubio could be bloodbath," May 8, 2015
39. ↑ Florida Politics, "Carlos Lopez-Cantera officially drops out of Florida’s U.S. Senate race," June 22, 2016
40. ↑ Katz for U.S. Senate, "Home," accessed April 5, 2016
41. ↑ PalmBeachPost.com, "Combat vet, defense contractor Todd Wilcox enters 2016 Senate race," July 8, 2015
42. ↑ Sun Sentinel, "Todd Wilcox drops out of U.S. Senate race; just one Republican primary challenger to Marco Rubio remains," June 24, 2016
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 Orlando Sentinel, "Murphy, Rubio waste no time attacking each other in U.S. Senate race," accessed September 2, 2016
44. ↑ Sun Sentinel, "Rubio, Murphy to debate Oct. 26 at Broward College," accessed September 2, 2016
45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Miami Herald, "Easy primary wins set stage for Senate showdown between Rubio and Murphy," accessed September 3, 2016
46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 The Libertarian Identity, "TLI talks to U.S. Senate candidate Paul Stanton, who will be in the unprecedented Aug 30 Libertarian Primary in Florida," accessed September 2, 2016
47. ↑ BeforeYouVote.org, "Criteria for Participation in the Decision 2016 Senatorial Debate," accessed September 3, 2016
48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 48.3 Palm Beach Free Press, "Paul Stanton not to share debate stage with Patrick Murphy and Marco Rubio," accessed October 17, 2016
49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Politico, "Murphy, Rubio agree to two debates — as sparks fly over more debates," accessed October 17, 2016
50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 50.5 50.6 50.7 50.8 50.9 Politico, "Specter of Trump looms large over Rubio-Murphy debate," accessed November 2, 2016
51. ↑ Miami Herald, "What Rubio and Murphy said about each other in their Senate debate," accessed October 26, 2016
52. ↑ Public Policy Polling, "Subject: Clinton Leads in Key Battlegrounds; Seen As Big Debate Winner," accessed October 17, 2016
53. ↑ The Libertarian Identity, "Libertarian Senate candidate Paul Stanton qualifies for three-way debate," accessed October 17, 2016
54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 The Hill, "Election watchdog scrutinizing Florida Dem Senate candidate," accessed September 4, 2016
55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 The Hill, "FBI investigating alleged donor scheme tied to Senate candidate," accessed November 2, 2016
56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 56.3 56.4 56.5 56.6 56.7 Miami Herald, "Rubio says yes to another Senate run after all," accessed August 22, 2016
57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 Miami Herald, "GOP woos Marco Rubio to run for Senate re-election," accessed August 23, 2016
58. ↑ Ernie Rivera for Senate, "Home," accessed November 21, 2015
59. ↑ Howard Knepper for Senate, "Home," accessed December 30, 2015
60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 St. Leo University Polling Institute, "Saint Leo Poll Shows Rubio Running Strong in Senate Race, Better Than Trump is Running on Top of the GOP Ticket in Florida," accessed August 24, 2016
61. ↑ Pam Keith U.S. Senate 2016, "Home," accessed August 28, 2015
62. ↑ Rocky for Senate, "Home," accessed June 20, 2016
63. ↑ Daily KOS, "Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Michael Grimm pleads guilty but won't leave the House," December 24, 2014
64. ↑ Daily KOS, "Alan Grayson mulls a run for Marco Rubio's Senate seat," January 26, 2015
65. ↑ Miami Herald, "Alan Grayson says he’s in Florida’s U.S. Senate race," July 9, 2015
66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 The Hill, "Obama, Biden endorse Murphy in Florida Dem Senate primary," March 2, 2016
67. ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 The New York Times, "Harry Reid Says Alan Grayson Should Drop Senate Bid," February 12, 2016
68. ↑ OCE.House.Gov, "Report: Review No. 15-6530," accessed August 24, 2016
69. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Report: 'Substantial reason to believe' Alan Grayson broke law," accessed August 24, 2016
70. ↑ Politico, "Confident of primary win, Murphy stops TV ads," accessed August 24, 2016
71. ↑ Palm Beach Post, "Two to face off in Florida’s first Libertarian U.S. Senate primary," accessed August 24, 2016
72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 72.2 72.3 Politico, "Libertarian Party drama: Goat sacrifice, eugenics and a chair's resignation," accessed August 28, 2016
73. ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," accessed August 23, 2016
74. ↑ The New York Times, "Largely Forgotten and Hugely Influential: The Race for Marco Rubio’s Senate Seat," accessed August 23, 2016
75. ↑ 75.0 75.1 75.2 Bay News 9, "Florida Libertarians to vote on Senate race candidate in August 30 primary," accessed August 28, 2016
76. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Alan Grayson says he has closed his Caymans hedge funds," October 9, 2015
77. ↑ The New York Times, "Alan Grayson’s Double Life: Congressman and Hedge Fund Manager," February 11, 2016
78. ↑ House Committee on Ethics, "Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative Alan Grayson," February 22, 2016
79. ↑ 79.0 79.1 79.2 79.3 Politico, "Grayson's ex-wife claimed domestic abuse over two decades," accessed August 29, 2016
80. ↑ Politico, "Alan Grayson's Senate campaign shakeup," December 1, 2015
81. ↑ Facebook, "Adrian Wyllie," accessed August 28, 2016
82. ↑ 82.0 82.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `minutes60`
83. ↑ Politico, "NRCC letter to 60 Minutes," accessed May 2, 2016
84. ↑ Politico, "Debbie Wasserman Schultz won’t run for Senate," March 17, 2015
85. ↑ Miami Herald, "Obamacare premiums to go up by double digits," accessed October 25, 2016
86. ↑ 86.0 86.1 86.2 86.3 86.4 86.5 86.6 WFTV.com, "Transcript of the U.S. Senate debate between Sen. Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy," accessed October 25, 2016
87. ↑ 87.0 87.1 87.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
88. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Rubio: I'd support anyone to stop Clinton, even Trump," accessed August 25, 2016
89. ↑ Cleveland.com, "See Senator Marco Rubio's taped speech shown at Republican National Convention (video)," accessed August 25, 2016
90. ↑ TampaBay.com, "Transcript of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's speech to the Republican National Convention," accessed August 25, 2016
91. ↑ Sunshine State News, "Democrats Go Left in the Race to Replace Marco Rubio in the Senate," accessed August 24, 2016
92. ↑ AlanGraysonEmails.Tumblr.com, "I Feel the Bern," accessed August 24, 2016
93. ↑ Politico, "Cruz endorses Rubio Senate run," June 22, 2016
94. ↑ The Club for Growth, "Club for Growth PAC Endorses Rubio and DeSantis in Florida," June 22, 2016
95. ↑ Nation Sun Journal, "Donald Trump supports Marco Rubio's senate run," August 3, 2016
96. ↑ 96.0 96.1 Miami Herald, "Miami Herald recommends Marco Rubio and a long-shot newcomer for Senate, Pam Keith," accessed August 29, 2016
97. ↑ 97.0 97.1 Orlando Sentinel, "Patrick Murphy, Marco Rubio are our picks for U.S. Senate: Endorsements 2016," accessed August 29, 2016
98. ↑ 98.0 98.1 Washington Times, "Marco Rubio draws endorsements, accolades for new Senate re-election campaign," accessed August 29, 2016
99. ↑ The Hill, "Jeb Bush backs Rubio for Senate, still no Trump endorsement," accessed August 29, 2016
100. ↑ NRA-ILA, "NRA Endorses Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate," accessed August 29, 2016
101. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "UPDATE: Hillary Clinton endorses Patrick Murphy after being far silent on his U.S. Senate race," accessed October 17, 2016
102. ↑ DSCC, "DSCC Announces Endorsement Of Patrick Murphy In Florida Senate Race," May 4, 2015
103. ↑ The Hill, "Crist endorses Murphy for Florida Senate," March 25, 2015
104. ↑ Miami Herald, "Frederica Wilson endorses Patrick Murphy for Senate," April 6, 2015
105. ↑ Patrick Murphy for Senate, "Front Page / Congresswoman Kathy Castor Endorses Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate," August 4, 2016
106. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "AFSCME union endorses Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate," November 12, 2015
107. ↑ Teamsters, "Florida Teamsters Endorse Patrick Murphy for Senate," October 30, 2015
108. ↑ PalmBeachPost.com, "Ex-U.S. Sen., Fla Gov. Bob Graham endorses Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate seat," March 21, 2016
109. ↑ The Orlando Political Observer, "AFGE Endorses Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate," March 30, 2016
110. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "National, state teachers unions endorse Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate," April 18, 2016
111. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Patrick Murphy endorsed by SEIU," May 9, 2016
112. ↑ 112.0 112.1 112.2 112.3 112.4 112.5 112.6 112.7 112.8 112.9 Stanton2016.com, "Endorsements," accessed August 28, 2016
113. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Communications Workers of America union endorses Alan Grayson for Senate," March 21, 2016
114. ↑ 114.0 114.1 Politico, "Liberal groups withdraw endorsements from Grayson following abuse claims," accessed August 29, 2016
115. ↑ 115.0 115.1 115.2 The Hill, "Alan Grayson snags big endorsements in Fla. Senate race," accessed August 29, 2016
116. ↑ United States Election Project, "Voter Turnout," accessed September 6, 2015
117. ↑ United States Senate, "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present," accessed September 6, 2015
118. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013

v • e

2015-2016 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Missouri • Nevada • New Hampshire • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • South Carolina • South Dakota • Utah • Vermont • Washington • Wisconsin

* * *

House by State|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

Election information|

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Congressional incumbents not running for re-election • Newly elected members of Congress

* * *

Super PACs/Organizations|

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote! • Workers' Voice

v • e

Ballotpedia

About|

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

* * *

Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy

Communications: Kayla Harris • Megan Brown • Mary Dunne • Sarah Groat • Lauren Nemerovski
External Relations: Alison Prange • Sara Key • Kari Berger • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Lauren Dixon • Kelly Rindfleisch • Sara Horton • Elizabeth Brown
Policy: Christopher Nelson • Caitlin Styrsky • Molly Byrne • Katharine Frey • Jace Lington • Jimmy McAllister
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Tech Manager • Ryan Burch • Michael Cella • Kirsten Corrao • Margaret Kearney • Tom Reitz

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

* * *

Editorial|

Geoff Pallay, Editor-in-Chief • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Josh Altic, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Jerrick Adams • Victoria Antram • Dave Beaudoin • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Ryan Byrne • Kate Carsella • Kelly Coyle • Megan Feeney • Tyler King • Doug Kronaizl • Amee LaTour • David Luchs • Brittony Maag • Andrew McNair • Jackie Mitchell • Elisabeth Moore • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Paul Rader • Ethan Rice • Abbey Smith • Janie Valentine • Caitlin Vanden Boom • Joel Williams • Corinne Wolyniec • Samuel Wonacott • Mercedes Yanora

For information about public policy issues in the 2016 elections, see: Public policy in the 2016 elections!

[show]

Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Marco Rubio (R)

Rick Scott (R)

Representatives

District 1

Matt Gaetz (R)

District 2

Neal Dunn (R)

District 3

Kat Cammack (R)

District 4

John Rutherford (R)

District 5

Alfred Lawson (D)

District 6

Michael Waltz (R)

District 7

Stephanie Murphy (D)

District 8

Bill Posey (R)

District 9

Darren Soto (D)

District 10

Val Demings (D)

District 11

Daniel Webster (R)

District 12

Gus Bilirakis (R)

District 13

Charlie Crist (D)

District 14

Kathy Castor (D)

District 15

Scott Franklin (R)

District 16

Vern Buchanan (R)

District 17

Greg Steube (R)

District 18

Brian Mast (R)

District 19

Byron Donalds (R)

District 20

Vacant

District 21

Lois Frankel (D)

District 22

Theodore Deutch (D)

District 23

Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)

District 24

Frederica Wilson (D)

District 25

Mario Diaz-Balart (R)

District 26

Carlos Gimenez (R)

District 27

Maria Elvira Salazar (R)

District 28

Vacant

Republican Party (18)

Democratic Party (10)

Vacancies (2)