Sen. Marco Rubio soundly defeated Democratic Rep. Val Demings on Tuesday to win a third term.
Sen. Marco Rubio soundly defeated Democratic Rep. Val Demings on Tuesday to win a third term, surviving a bitterly fought contest and boosting the GOP’s efforts to take control of the U.S. Senate.
With 69 percent of the vote counted, Rubio had 55.3% to Demings’ 43.7%.
Rubio and Demings clashed for months over abortion, the economy, law and order and fitness for office in a campaign that featured millions of dollars in attack ads.
Rubio remained a favorite throughout, but Demings’ strong fundraising numbers generated Democratic optimism that she could pull off an upset.
Rubio sought to portray Demings as a radical who embraced the far left’s calls to defund the police and supported a “socialist” budget proposal.
Demings, a former Orlando police chief and third-term congresswoman, touted her law enforcement credentials in response to Rubio’s attacks. She accused Rubio of lying and missing votes in the Senate.
“I am really disappointed in you because I think there was a time when you did not lie in order to win,” Demings told Rubio during their only debate.
Rubio, 51, rallied with former President Donald Trump two days before Election Day to shore up support among his conservative base.
