Businessman Carlos Beruff signaled Wednesday that he plans to paint Sen. Marco Rubio as the sort of career politician who has angered voters by preserving the status in Washington.
Responding to the news that Mr. Rubio has reversed course and intends to announce his re-election bid this week, Mr. Beruff, who entered the GOP primary race earlier this year, said the Florida senator is part of the problem, not the solution.
“Career politicians like Marco Rubio worry more about keeping the job than doing the job, and are constantly looking for their next political promotion,” Mr. Beruff said in an email blast.
Mr. Rubio, who won the seat in 2010, vowed not to seek re-election after announcing his presidential bid last year.
But GOP leaders have aggressively courted Mr. Rubio since he pulled out of the presidential race following a devastating loss to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump in his home state of Florida, which raised questions about whether his star had dimmed among grassroots activists.
Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez Cantera also urged Mr. Rubio to run and said he would leave the race if he did. Rep. David Jolly pulled out of the race last week, predicting Mr. Rubio would get in. Rep. Ron DeSantis also said he would rethink his plans.
SEE ALSO: Marco Rubio to run for re-election to Senate
Mr. Beruff and Todd Wilcox, a former CIA officer, have said they are staying in the race.
“This isn’t Marco Rubio’s seat; this is Florida’s seat. The power brokers in Washington think they can control this race. They think they can tell the voters of Florida who their candidates are. But the voters of Florida will not obey them,” Mr. Beruff said. “Like Marco Rubio in 2010, I’m not going to back down from the Washington establishment. They are the problem, not the solution.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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