Go for the jugular:
Two Florida unions are attacking Marco Rubio about his priorities in a new television ad that begins airing Friday in Tampa and Orlando.
AFSCME PEOPLE and AFT Solidarity have gone in on the $1.3 million ad buy, which will run through the end of the month.
“What are Marco Rubio’s priorities?” a narrator says as the ad begins. “Rubio said Social Security and Medicare have weakened us as a nation. He wanted to cut the Social Security benefits we’ve earned and turn Medicare into a voucher program…robbing seniors of the chance to retire with dignity. And for kids? Rubio voted to slash school funding by billions of dollars. And would eliminate the Department of Education.”
Rubio’s chances for re-election aren’t looking as bright as they may seem, and that’s making the Koch Brothers very nervous:
Americans for Prosperity Florida has launched a direct mail effort promoting what they believe are questionable ties between Congressman and Candidate for Senate Patrick Murphy and special interests connected to legislation legislation he co-sponsored.
The mailer points to legislation Murphy co-sponsored that expanded a program that benefited some of his donors. In turn, AFP says some of the donors who benefited from the legislation spent six-figures on Murphy’s campaign and provided his family’s business with a $1.7 billion contract.
“While Floridians are working hard to provide for their families, Patrick Murphy is working hard to line the pockets of special interests.” says AFP-FL state director, Chris Hudson “The only ‘record’ Murphy has to show for his time in Congress is one of repeatedly using his position for self-gain.”
Plus the Orlando shooting at the Pulse nightclub is becoming a heated issue in this race:
But where Murphy and Rubio have clashed most regarding the Pulse tragedy is on the issue of gun reform.
Rubio, who's been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, introduced legislation last week that would "make it harder for suspected terrorists to purchase firearms and easier for law enforcement agencies to go after suspected terrorists, while safeguarding law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment and due process rights," according to a statement from his office. The bill requires the FBI to be immediately notified of requests to transfer a firearm to someone who's been previously investigated for terrorism. It also allows the U.S. attorney general to delay a gun purchase for up to three days and file an emergency court petition for that same person.
Murphy, who's been endorsed by the LGBT gun-reform group Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, criticized Rubio's proposal, saying it impedes, not helps, those who want to stop terrorists from purchasing guns.
"After the tragedy in Orlando, Rubio used the deaths of 49 innocent Floridians to run for re-election while voting against every bill that would have helped keep our families safe," Murphy says in a statement. "He even voted against a bipartisan measure, introduced by a Republican, to prevent people on the No Fly List from purchasing guns. For Marco Rubio to introduce this bill now is an embarrassment."
A reason to remain optimistic about this race is that Murphy’s campaign knows it’s going to come down to getting out the vote and that’s why his campaign made this smart move:
U.S. Senate hopeful Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) on Thursday hired President Obama's former Hispanic communications strategist, Freddy Balsera, in an attempt to improve his support among Hispanic voters.
Murphy's campaign said that Balsera will advise the candidate on media, outreach and communications.
Balsera praised Murphy's effort to develop "great friendships with Hispanic leaders across the state" and said he plans to make "a very aggressive push at both the mass-media level and the communities level."
The latest survey of likely Florida voters released on Tuesday found Rubio with a 2-point lead over Murphy, 47 percent to 45 percent.
Lets help Murphy’s campaign get out the vote and win this race. Click here to donate and get involved with his campaign.