Rubio has voted against the Democrat’s Inflation Reduction Act that was signed into law and instead followed the GOP culture war agenda. He has voted against reducing prescription drug costs, housing costs, a woman’s right to choose, gun violence prevention, and expanding Medicare.
BY SHEILA JAMES, Contributor
FT. MYERS – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio took a drubbing from his Democratic opponent Congresswoman Val Demings during their only debate. Demings chastised the two-term senator for supporting abortions without exceptions and refusing to support efforts to curb gun violence.
“How long will you watch people being gunned down in first grade, fourth grade, high school, college, church, synagogue, grocery store, movie theater, a mall and a nightclub and do nothing,” Demings asked. At the same time, Rubio appeared startled and befuddled at the scolding.
He also shocked many when he said he would oppose emergency federal funding legislation for victims of Hurricane Ian. The extra $18.8 billion was included in the budget to keep the government running, which is a standard procedure.
Rubio was absent from the Senate budget vote; instead, he made a rare appearance in the community ravaged by the category 5 hurricane.
“Either you want the people of Florida to have what they need after this devastation, or you’re more concerned about playing politics and making the former disgraced president happy and sticking it to Joe Biden,” Rep. Michelle Rayner (D) said.
Demings was front and center before and after Ian’s devastation, evaluating the way forward. “I took an oath to serve, and as a U.S. Senator, I will work to make your life better. That’s my job.”
The extremes of the Republican agenda extend to undermining the most basic public service to constituents. Rubio has been hammered in the media for his continued absence from committees and for missed critical votes.
The congresswoman remains focused on creating job opportunities, affordable housing and reducing the cost of living overall.
‘I took an oath to serve, and as a U.S. Senator, I will work to make your life better. That’s my job.’
“You have a right to achieve the American Dream as a partner in this great experiment we call democracy,” according to Demings.
Rubio has voted against the Democrat’s Inflation Reduction Act that was signed into law and instead followed the GOP culture war agenda. He has voted against reducing prescription drug costs, housing costs, a woman’s right to choose, gun violence prevention, and expanding Medicare. He has also voted to privatize Medicare and against Social Security.
Rubio is a big fan of MAGA triggers like the Stop Woke Act, which prohibits the discussion of the county’s history of discrimination against people of color, gender, and national origin. He has been hammered for ads that lie about Demings and the Democrats.
“The basic argument of these radical, Marxist misfits is that 5,500 years of recorded history is wrong,” Rubio said. “Telling folks everything they have ever learned about life and common-sense experience is all wrong,” he added. “But they want to instill that into children.”
Florida courts are full of lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of this law and many others initiated by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Even the Texas immigrants transported to Martha’s Vineyard by DeSantis are suing, and Rubio condemned them.
“The first thing they do is get lawyers,” Rubio said of three Venezuelan immigrants.
“Marco Rubio is about defending the indefensible. This stunt was about deflecting for political reasons. He just won’t do his job. He is incapable of serving the people,” Demings said.
According to experts, Rubio’s disregard for the most basic needs of his constituents is coming back to haunt him. They say the momentum and enthusiasm are with the Democrats, with the turnout of women and Black voters being the arbiter of the outcome. That’s understandable because both groups have the most to lose.
