Marco Rubio Wins 2nd Term in US Senate
Rubio keeps his seat in the U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Patrick Murphy.
— -- Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who failed in his bid for the GOP nomination for president, held on to his U.S. Senate seat by beating Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy.
Rubio initially said he didn’t want to return to his job in the Senate and at one time promised to retire from politics if he did not win the GOP presidential nomination. After his White House bid proved unsuccessful, he reconsidered his ambitions and announced his renewed interest in running for re-election.
Addressing supporters in Miami, he said, "America's going to be OK. We will turn this country around."
He also said that he hopes he and his colleagues, "as we return to work in Washington, D.C., can set a better example of how political discourse can exist in this country."
"I know people feel betrayed, and you have a right to," Rubio said. "Every major institution in our society has failed us. The media, the government, Big Business, Wall Street, academia — they've all failed us."
Polling suggested that Rubio, who withdrew from the Republican presidential contest in March, had a narrow lead against Murphy going into Election Day in the competitive swing state.
Murphy chose to run for the Senate rather than for re-election to the House.