Jeff Atwater, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, announced Saturday that he would not run for Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) Senate seat in 2016.
Atwater was expected to be the Republican frontrunner for the seat, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Republicans expected Atwater to formally jump into the race after Rubio’s announcement on Monday. Rubio is reportedly planning to announce his candidacy for president.
Supporters for Atwater, according to the Post, had already set up a super PAC for him in preparation of his candidacy.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-FL) has already announced his candidacy for Rubio’s seat. Some liberals in the state have criticized Murphy and said Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) should jump into the Senate race.
I don’t think that Grayson is always on the side of liberals. He is against the Iran deal siding with Corker and Schumer.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026487314
Murphy’s not a perfect candidate, but I think he has a solid shot.
Grayson has personal baggage and is a bomb-thrower who can make a spot-on point like no one else but I don’t feel he’s Senate material (whatever that means these days) and I can’t see him winning a state-wide election.
I did not know that … thank you.
Maybe this is a sign that Rubio is going to announce that he us not running for President but for re-election instead. I think it would be a good move. His plan of being the conservative alternative to the establishment candidate is gone with Cruz, Paul and Walker in the race.
He can’t count on Florida because of Bush, so I don’t see a pathway to the nomination.
Murphy is somewhat of a Blue Dog Dem, but he did beat Tea Party firebrand Allen West in 2012, despite the millions in out-of-state contributions West had received.
He might have a shot in a presidential year. And I share your misgivings about Grayson.