Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic challenger Val Demings jousted Tuesday over abortion, gun control, immigration, and basic qualifications during an aggressive and intense debate that will be the only one of their hotly contested U.S. Senate race.
During an exchange over Rubio’s opposition to gun control, Demings said Florida voters must have wondered “what in the hell did he just say?”
In criticizing Demings over lax border security, Rubio asked: “Which boots does she want on the ground?”
Demings hit Rubio for backing abortion bans with no exceptions; Rubio said Demings supports abortions with no restrictions whatsoever. Each accused the other of lying about them.
Rubio, seeking a third term in the Senate, leads in the polls, but Democrats are hopeful that Demings – a three-term U.S. House member and former police chief in Orlando – has the wherewithal to pull an upset.
“Of course it’s hard, but it’s not impossible,” Demings told CNN recently.
Every Senate race is crucial as the parties battle for control. The chamber is currently divided 50-50, with Democrats in charge because Vice President Kamala Harris has the power to break tie votes.
Every Senate race is crucial as the parties battle for control. The chamber is currently divided 50-50, with Democrats in charge because Vice President Kamala Harris has the power to break tie votes.
Demings on immigration: “We are a nation of laws”
Demings calls for more resources at the border, including more personnel, technology and processors, to secure the border but also to be able to determine individuals who are seeking asylum and those needing to be arrested.
“We’re a nation of laws. We have to enforce the law, but we also obey the laws that says that people who are in trouble can seek asylum in this country.”
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Social security is priority for Demings
Demings said protecting Social Security is a priority for her as a public official.
“We have to think about what the promise of Social Security was,” she said. It should help older Americans retire “with dignity and respect.”
– Savannah Kuchar
Candidates debate school safety clearinghouse
Rubio said the gun legislation Demoingsd supports would not have stopped any shootings, adding that every one of the shooters would have passed the background check Demings supports.
He referenced the Department of Homeland Security’s website and said there is a clearinghouse that tells schools what works for safety and what doesn’t. Rubio said the Biden administration is hoping to take it down because having a school safety clearinghouse is discriminatory against minority students.
“He thought he could get a pass for the mass shootings that we’ve had in our state and doing nothing significant to do anything about it,” Demings rebutted.
– Rachel Looker
Rubio on immigration
Rubio said he supports a recent policy by President Biden denying asylum for Venezuelan immigrants, because it is the same as policy by President Trump.
“I sympathize deeply with what these people are facing,” Rubio said.
But he added that he does not believe the U.S. can support the number of immigrants.
“This cannot continue. It has to be fixed,” Rubio said. “No country in the world can tolerate that.”
– Savannah Kuchar
Rubio reverses on gun buys by 18-year-olds
Rubio said he would no longer support a statement he made in 2018 that a solution to gun violence is to prevent those as young as 18 from buying rifles.
He said denying the right to buy a rifle is not going to prevent mass shootings.
“The fundamental issue is why are these people going out and massacring people,” he said.
– Rachel Looker
Rubio rebuts on property insurance
During his rebuttal on property insurance, Rubio said the Florida State Senate has a special session where the Senate passed a reform bill.
Rubio turned to Demings, asking if she knew who the governor was at the time before supplementing that it was Charlie Crist, who Demings endorsed as the Democratic candidate for Florida governor against GOP incumbent Ron DeSantis, Rubio said.
-Sarah Elbeshbishi
Rubio defends records on guns
Rubio repeatedly defended his opposition to gun control by saying that Democratic proposals “would have done nothing” to stop the spate of mass shootings.
Demings said Rubio is letting down the victims of shootings, including the 2016 massacre at a nightclub in her hometown of Orlando.
– David Jackson
Demings said Rubio has done nothing about gun violence
After Rubio responded first to a question on gun violence, Demings said family members of victims are “asking themselves what in the hell did he just say?”
Demings said that in his time in office, Rubio has not addressed the issue.
“You’ve done nothing” to reduce gun violence, Demings told her opponent.
– Savannah Kuchar
Demings on democracy: “I took an oath”
Demings shared a story about how her parents always voted, emphasizing the need to do “everything within our power” to protect the Constitution, rule of law, democracy and right to vote.
“That’s what I did as a police officer and a police chief,” Demings said. “I took an oath that I would protect and serve, defend the Constitution not just for people who looked like me, or the richest of the rich. For all people.”
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Demings tries to rattle Rubio over all the issues
Demings is just trying to rattle Rubio, in this case by saying he did nothing about the cost of flood and property insurance during his years in the state legislature.
Rubio, who was indeed knocked off course during 2016 presidential debates, hasn’t taken the bait yet, and extols his legislative record on insurance.
– David Jackson
Rubio says he will support election outcome
When asked if he will support the outcome of the election, Rubio said he has never denied an election, adding that Florida has great elections laws.
When asked again if he will support the outcome, he responded: “Sure, because I’m going to win so I look forward to supporting that.”
Rubio said elections need to have rules that are designed to make sure the system works. He added that rules are not suppressing anyone’s votes, but allow people to have confidence that their vote counted and matters.
“We have to have rules and we have to have laws and those laws have to be followed,” Rubio said.
– Rachel Looker
Rubio calls insurance reforms a state issue
When asked about homeowners insurance improvements, Rubio responded, “obviously this is a state issue.”
“You don’t want the federal government involved,” he added.
Rubio said he himself worries about property insurance. He also said he supports reauthorizing and reforming the flood insurance program.
“We are facing a looming crisis,” he said.
– Savannah Kuchar
Demings takes on abortion
Demings invoked her past role as Orlando police chief when taking Rubio on about supporting a federal abortion ban with no exceptions, saying that she doesn’t “think it’s OK for a 10-year-old girl to be raped and have to carry the seed of her rapist.”
Demings went on to say that she doesn’t think it’s acceptable for Rubio, as a Senator, to make decision on women’s bodies.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
‘When is that?’
More arguing about abortion.
Demings says she would support restrictions on abortion after “viability,” but does not define the term.
“When is that?” Rubio said – though he won’t say what exceptions to an abortion ban he might permit.
Each accuses the other of more lying. The moderators move on to another topic.
– David Jackson
Rubio says he backs abortion bills with exceptions
The moderator asked Rubio whether he would vote in favor of a federal abortion ban with no exceptions.
Rubio said he is interested in saving human lives, but added that the only law that can pass in the country is a law that has exceptions.
“That’s where the majority of the American people are and I respect and understand that,” he said.
– Rachel Looker
Demings on abortion: ‘We are not going back’
Demings repeated again that Rubio “has been clear that he supports no exceptions.” Demings said she meanwhile supports a woman’s right to choose.
“We are not going back,” Demings said, “to a time when women are treated like second class citizens or property.”
– Savannah Kuchar
Deming hits back at Rubio: “I think there was a time where you did not lie.”
After Rubio attacked her record in Congress, Demings said she was “disappointed” in Rubio, that “I think there was a time where you did not lie in order to win.”
She said she doesn’t know “what happened” to Rubio before correcting him on her record, noting that she passed legislation helping law enforcement with mental health programs during her first term in Congress.
She turned congressional records back on Rubio, highlighting that during his first term in Congress he voted to “basically abolish” Medicare.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Rubio, Demings argue abortion
Rubio handled the abortion question by saying Demings and the Democrats support abortion with no restrictions at all.
“That’s how extreme she is,” Rubio said.
Demings says Rubio is lying again, and he is trying to cover up that he would ban all abortions, without exceptions.
“How gullible do you think Florida voters are?” Demings said.
– David Jackson
Demings: Rubio is lying and cheating
“How gullible do you believe voters are?” Demings said, while the two candidates spoke over each other on stage.
During a contentious back-and-forth, Demings said Rubio has resorted to “lying and cheating” while in office.
– Savannah Kuchar
Rubio claims Demings never passed a federal law
Rubio claims there is not one federal law on the books that Demings has sponsored that passed.
“I think she named two post offices, I’ve done that, too,” he said.
Rubio referenced his own legislation that passed in 2017 that doubled the child tax credit as part of the sweeping Trump tax cuts. Rubio stood against many in his own his own party to get the legislation passed.
– Rachel Looker
Insults between the candidates
The insults keep coming: Rubio says he and Republican Senators worked to pass COVID relief, while Democrats stayed “in their pajamas doing Zoom calls.” He said Demings in particular has no bill with her name on it.
Demings responded by saying Rubio is “lying,” and that he and Republicans were more interested in giving tax breaks to rich people than in helping most Americans.
Much interrupting between the candidates.
– David Jackson
Rubio blames rising inflation on Democrats
In response to how he would help families with rising inflation rates, Rubio said the government needs to stop spending money on pandemic relief like the American Rescue Plan.
To address inflation, he said there’s a need to produce more American oil. He added that the country cannot pass “crazy” policies that are coming from the left.
“We can’t do that kind of crazy stuff, it only adds to the inflation,” Rubio said.
– Rachel Looker
Rubio is not helping wellbeing of Americans, Demings says
On the issue of inflation, Demings opened her response by saying Rubio has never run anything “but his mouth.”
Demings elaborated to say Rubio has not been helping people who are hurting in the state in the wake of the pandemic.
“You played politics Senator,” she said.
– Savannah Kuchar
Rubio on what Florida needs after Hurricane Ian
Rubio reminded voters of his efforts in previous years in the aftermath of hurricanes in Florida, noting that he got former President Donald Trump to fully reimburse counties.
He highlighted that emergency relief and long-term recovery efforts are necessary in the aftermath of hurricanes.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
First question: What is needed to help Florida after Hurricane Ian?
Demings says the federal government needs to protect Florida from the ferocity of future hurricanes by acting to reduce the effects of climate change.
“We’ve got to get serious about climate change,” she said.
Rubio responds by not talking about climate change, but saying that the federal government should focus on rushing emergency funds to local governments.
– David Jackson
Florida Senate debate kicks off
The debate between Rubio and Demin has started.
Rubio looks towards a third term in the Senate as Demings seeks to flip it blue, hoping to give Democrats a leg up in the Senate.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Rubio leads Demings in latest polling
The two-term Florida Senator is leading his Democratic challenger by 6 percentage points, according to a Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey released earlier this month.
Rubio has maintained a consistent edge against Demings throughout the election season.
While Demings is seen as competitive as she looks to flip the Florida Senate seat blue, the former Orlando police chief is not likely to win, according to Jessica Taylor, from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, as the Sunshine State as increasing shifted to the right over the years.
“Demings will have money to compete and she’s already at a better juncture than past statewide Democrats have been — and primary turnout this week was higher than expected for Democrats,” Taylor said. “But that doesn’t change that Florida has become only more Republican in recent years, with a slightly redder hue despite its perpetual swing state status.”
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
Social media smackdown: Demings and Rubio warm up for debate
Demings and Rubio are previewing their debate strategies on Twitter, and it sounds like it may be a hard-hitting night.
“The only thing Marco Rubio knows how to run is his mouth,” Demings tweeted of the two-term U.S. senator. “He is not qualified to represent Florida.”
Team Marco, the campaign’s Twitter account, indicated that their candidate will cast congresswoman Demings as a liberal cipher of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
“Val Demings’ blind loyalty to Nancy Pelosi is exactly why Chuck Schumer hand-picked her to run against Marco,” said the Rubio feed.
– David Jackson
Who is Marco Rubio?
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is running for his third term in the Senate. He was first elected in 2010.
Rubio serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and formerly served as chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees.
In 2016, the Republican senator launched a presidential bid but dropped out after losing in the Florida primary.
The incumbent, who lives in West Miami, has touted his working-class Cuban heritage and often references how his father worked as a bartender and his mother as a maid.
– Rachel Looker
Who is Val Demings?
Democratic Rep. Val Demings has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms in Florida’s 10th district.
The Democrat served as Orlando’s first female chief of police and has nearly three decades of experience in law enforcement.
Demings serves on the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Intelligence Committees and was an impeachment manager in the 2020 impeachment trial of then-President Donald Trump.
She started working at 14 years old and was the first from her family to graduate from college.
– Rachel Looker
Demings out raises, outspends Rubio
Demings raised more than her Republican challenger, raising $64.6 million to Rubio’s $44.1. The Democrat also outspent her opponent by nearly $25 million according to FEC filing data last reported Sept. 30.
Despite outraising and outspending the incumbent in TV ads, Rubio has slightly more cash on hand, $9.6 million compared to Deming’s $6.6 million.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi
