Sunshine State Senate debate: Marco Rubio and Val Demings square off in Florida: recap - USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON – Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic challenger Val Demings jousted Tuesday implicit abortion, weapon control, immigration, and basal qualifications during the archetypal - and lone - debate of their hotly contested U.S. Senate race.

"The senator, who has ne'er tally thing astatine each but his mouth, would cognize thing astir helping people," said Demings, a three-term U.S. House subordinate who is looking to determination to the different broadside of the U.S. Capitol.

When Demings scoffed astatine Rubio's remark that she had backed a "socialist" budget, the incumbent legislator said helium didn't cognize which word his hostile would prefer: "Socialist ... Marxist ... brainsick ... I'm unfastened to suggestions."

During a tense speech implicit Rubio's absorption to weapon control, Demings said Florida voters indispensable person wondered: "what successful the hellhole did helium conscionable say?”

Rubio aboriginal mocked Demings implicit borderline information by saying "which boots does she privation connected the ground?" He said the congresswoman "has ne'er passed a azygous portion of legislation" connected her own.

The 2 candidates besides clashed implicit abortion, conscionable months aft the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Roe vs. Wade ruling.

Demings said Rubio wants to prohibition termination bans with nary exceptions whatsoever; Rubio said Demings supports abortions with nary restrictions astatine all. Each accused the different of lying astir their positions connected these and different issues.

Rubio, seeking a 3rd word successful the Senate, leads successful the polls, but Democrats are hopeful that Demings – who has importantly raised much run funds than the incumbent – has the wherewithal to propulsion an upset.

“Of people it’s hard, but it’s not impossible," Demings told CNN recently.

Every Senate contention is important arsenic the parties conflict for control. The enclosure is presently divided 50-50, with Democrats successful complaint due to the fact that Vice President Kamala Harris has the powerfulness to interruption necktie votes.

Demings: US must 'do everything wrong our power’ to support NATO allies  

Demings said the United States has to do everything “within our power” to support NATO allies.  

If Poland is attacked, there has to be an contiguous response, she said.  “I judge that that effect volition beryllium capable and swift."

- Rachel Looker  

Rubio connected "Proportional response" to Russian attacks

Responding to questions of attacks by Russia connected different state countries, Rubio said the U.S. effect needs to beryllium “proportional,” adding that it should “depend connected the quality and level of the attack.” 

Rubio besides said helium would reason that “they’ve already attacked NATO.” 

- Savannah Kuchar

Rubio connected "Proportional response" to Russian attacks

Responding to questions of attacks by Russia connected different state countries, Rubio said the U.S. effect needs to beryllium “proportional,” adding that it should “depend connected the quality and level of the attack.” 

Rubio besides said helium would reason that “they’ve already attacked NATO.” 

- Savannah Kuchar

Demings asked astir atomic 'Armageddon' 

“We person to clasp those who are not our friends accountable,” Demings said, adding that this includes Russia. 

“We person to proceed to enactment Ukraine and our NATO allies,” Demings said. 

She said the state should usage diplomacy to support against atomic war. 

Demings said, “we cannot spend to person a atomic attack,” adding that the U.S. authorities should bash everything successful its powerfulness to forestall that from happening.

- Savannah Kuchar

Candidates dispute processors astatine the border  

In his rebuttal, Rubio said Demings has opposed the borderline partition and supported policies that banned borderline funding. He added that Demings is arguing for much processors simply to get radical done the borderline faster, not for improved security.  

Demings responded that even with more processors, if immigrants bash not conscionable the modular for asylum seekers they will beryllium sent back.  

She added that we request to unafraid our border with more boots connected the ground.

- Rachel Looker 

Demings connected immigration: “We are a federation of laws”

Demings calls for much resources astatine the border, including much personnel, exertion and processors, to unafraid the borderline but besides to beryllium capable to find individuals who are seeking asylum and those needing to beryllium arrested.

“We’re a federation of laws. We person to enforce the law, but we besides obey the laws that says that radical who are successful occupation tin question asylum successful this country.”  

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Social information is precedence for Demings

Demings said protecting Social Security is simply a precedence for her arsenic a nationalist official.

“We person to deliberation astir what the committedness of Social Security was,” she said. It should assistance older Americans discontinue “with dignity and respect."

- Savannah Kuchar

Candidates debate schoolhouse information clearinghouse 

Rubio said the gun authorities Demoingsd supports would not person stopped immoderate shootings, adding that every 1 of the shooters would person passed the inheritance cheque Demings supports.

He referenced the Department of Homeland Security’s website and said determination is simply a clearinghouse that tells schools what works for information and what doesn’t. Rubio said the Biden medication is hoping to instrumentality it down due to the fact that having a schoolhouse information clearinghouse is discriminatory against number students.  

“He thought helium could get a walk for the wide shootings that we’ve had successful our authorities and doing thing important to bash thing astir it,” Demings rebutted.  

- Rachel Looker 

Rubio connected immigration

Rubio said helium supports a caller argumentation by President Biden denying asylum for Venezuelan immigrants, due to the fact that it is the aforesaid arsenic argumentation by President Trump. 

“I sympathize profoundly with what these radical are facing,” Rubio said.  

But helium added that helium does not judge the U.S. tin enactment the fig of immigrants. 

“This cannot continue. It has to beryllium fixed,” Rubio said. “No state successful the satellite tin tolerate that.” 

- Savannah Kuchar

Rubio reverses connected weapon buys by 18-year-olds

Rubio said he would nary longer enactment a connection helium made successful 2018 that a solution to weapon unit is to forestall those arsenic young arsenic 18 from buying rifles.  

He said denying the close to bargain a firearm is not going to prevent wide shootings.  

“The cardinal contented is wherefore are these radical going retired and massacring people,” helium said. 

- Rachel Looker 

Rubio rebuts connected spot insurance

During his rebuttal connected spot insurance, Rubio said the Florida State Senate has a peculiar league wherever the Senate passed a betterment bill.

Rubio turned to Demings, asking if she knew who the politician was astatine the clip earlier supplementing that it was Charlie Crist, who Demings endorsed arsenic the Democratic campaigner for Florida politician against GOP incumbent Ron DeSantis, Rubio said.

-Sarah Elbeshbishi

Rubio defends records connected guns

Rubio repeatedly defended his absorption to weapon power by saying that Democratic proposals "would person done nothing" to halt the spate of wide shootings.

Demings said Rubio is letting down the victims of shootings, including the 2016 massacre astatine a nightclub successful her hometown of Orlando.

– David Jackson

Demings said Rubio has done thing astir weapon violence

After Rubio responded archetypal to a question connected weapon violence, Demings said household members of victims are “asking themselves what successful the hellhole did helium conscionable say?” 

Demings said that successful his clip successful office, Rubio has not addressed the issue. 

“You’ve done nothing” to trim weapon violence, Demings told her opponent. 

- Savannah Kuchar

Demings connected democracy: “I took an oath”

Demings shared a communicative astir however her parents ever voted, emphasizing the request to bash “everything wrong our power” to support the Constitution, regularisation of law, ideology and close to vote.

“That’s what I did arsenic a constabulary serviceman and a constabulary chief,” Demings said. “I took an oath that I would support and serve, support the Constitution not conscionable for radical who looked similar me, oregon the richest of the rich. For each people.”  

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Demings tries to rattle Rubio implicit each the issues

Demings is just trying to rattle Rubio, successful this lawsuit by saying helium did thing astir the outgo of flood and spot security during his years successful the authorities legislature.

Rubio, who was so knocked disconnected people during 2016 statesmanlike debates, hasn't taken the bait yet, and extols his legislative grounds connected insurance.

– David Jackson

Rubio says helium volition enactment predetermination outcome 

When asked if helium volition enactment the result of the election, Rubio said helium has ne'er denied an election, adding that Florida has large elections laws.

When asked again if helium volition enactment the outcome, helium responded: “Sure, due to the fact that I’m going to triumph truthful I look guardant to supporting that." 

Rubio said elections request to person rules that are designed to marque definite the strategy works. He added that rules are not suppressing anyone’s votes, but allow radical to person assurance that their ballot counted and matters.

“We person to person rules and we person to person laws and those laws person to beryllium followed,” Rubio said.

- Rachel Looker

Rubio calls security reforms a authorities issue

When asked astir homeowners security improvements, Rubio responded, “obviously this is simply a authorities issue.” 

“You don’t privation the national authorities involved,” helium added. 

Rubio said helium himself worries astir spot insurance. He besides said helium supports reauthorizing and reforming the flood security program.  

“We are facing a looming crisis,” helium said. 

- Savannah Kuchar

Demings takes connected abortion

Demings invoked her past relation arsenic Orlando constabulary main erstwhile taking Rubio connected astir supporting a national termination prohibition with nary exceptions, saying that she doesn’t “think it’s OK for a 10-year-old miss to beryllium raped and person to transportation the effect of her rapist.”

Demings went connected to accidental that she doesn’t deliberation it’s acceptable for Rubio, arsenic a Senator, to marque determination connected women’s bodies.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

'When is that?'

More arguing astir abortion.

Demings says she would enactment restrictions connected termination aft "viability," but does not specify the term.

"When is that?" Rubio said – though helium won't accidental what exceptions to an termination prohibition helium mightiness permit.

Each accuses the different of much lying. The moderators determination connected to different topic.

– David Jackson

Rubio says helium backs termination bills with exceptions

The moderator asked Rubio whether helium would ballot successful favour of a national termination prohibition with nary exceptions.  

Rubio said helium is funny successful redeeming quality lives, but added that the lone instrumentality that tin walk successful the state is simply a instrumentality that has exceptions.  

“That’s wherever the bulk of the American radical are and I respect and recognize that,” helium said.  

- Rachel Looker 

Demings connected abortion: 'We are not going back'

Demings repeated again that Rubio “has been wide that helium supports nary exceptions.” Demings said she meantime supports a woman’s close to choose. 

“We are not going back,” Demings said, “to a clip erstwhile women are treated like 2nd people citizens oregon property.” 

- Savannah Kuchar

Deming hits backmost astatine Rubio: “I deliberation determination was a clip wherever you did not lie.”

After Rubio attacked her grounds successful Congress, Demings said she was “disappointed” successful Rubio, that “I deliberation determination was a clip wherever you did not prevarication successful bid to win.”

She said she doesn’t cognize “what happened” to Rubio earlier correcting him connected her record, noting that she passed authorities helping instrumentality enforcement with intelligence wellness programs during her archetypal word successful Congress.

She turned legislature records backmost connected Rubio, highlighting that during his archetypal word successful Congress helium voted to “basically abolish" Medicare.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Rubio, Demings reason abortion

Rubio handled the termination question by saying Demings and the Democrats enactment termination with nary restrictions astatine all.

"That's however utmost she is," Rubio said.

Demings says Rubio is lying again, and helium is trying to screen up that helium would prohibition each abortions, without exceptions.

"How gullible bash you deliberation Florida voters are?" Demings said.  

– David Jackson

Demings: Rubio is lying and cheating

“How gullible bash you judge voters are?” Demings said, portion the 2 candidates spoke implicit each different connected stage. 

During a contentious back-and-forth, Demings said Rubio has resorted to “lying and cheating” portion successful office. 

- Savannah Kuchar

Rubio claims Demings ne'er passed a national law  

Rubio claims determination is not 1 national instrumentality connected the books that Demings has sponsored that passed. 

“I deliberation she named 2 station offices, I’ve done that, too,” helium said.  

Rubio referenced his ain authorities that passed successful 2017 that doubled the kid taxation recognition arsenic portion of the sweeping Trump taxation cuts. Rubio stood against galore successful his ain his ain enactment to get the authorities passed.  

- Rachel Looker 

Insults betwixt the candidates

The insults support coming: Rubio says helium and Republican Senators worked to walk COVID relief, portion Democrats stayed "in their pajamas doing Zoom calls." He said Demings successful particular has nary measure with her sanction connected it.

Demings responded by saying Rubio is "lying," and that helium and Republicans were much funny successful giving taxation breaks to affluent radical than successful helping astir Americans.

Much interrupting betwixt the candidates.

– David Jackson

Rubio blames rising ostentation connected Democrats  

In effect to however helium would assistance families with rising ostentation rates, Rubio said the authorities needs to halt spending wealth connected pandemic alleviation similar the American Rescue Plan.  

To code inflation, helium said there’s a request to nutrient much American oil. He added that the state cannot walk “crazy” policies that are coming from the left.

“We can’t bash that benignant of brainsick stuff, it lone adds to the inflation,” Rubio said.

- Rachel Looker  

Rubio is not helping wellbeing of Americans, Demings says

On the contented of inflation, Demings opened her effect by saying Rubio has ne'er tally thing “but his mouth.” 

Demings elaborated to accidental Rubio has not been helping radical who are hurting successful the authorities successful the aftermath of the pandemic.  

“You played authorities Senator,” she said. 

- Savannah Kuchar

Rubio connected what Florida needs aft Hurricane Ian

Rubio reminded voters of his efforts successful erstwhile years successful the aftermath of hurricanes successful Florida, noting that helium got erstwhile President Donald Trump to afloat reimburse counties.

He highlighted that exigency alleviation and semipermanent betterment efforts are indispensable successful the aftermath of hurricanes.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi   

First question: What is needed to assistance Florida aft Hurricane Ian?

Demings says the national authorities needs to support Florida from the ferocity of aboriginal hurricanes by acting to trim the effects of clime change.

"We've got to get superior astir clime change," she said.

Rubio responds by not talking astir clime change, but saying that the national authorities should absorption connected rushing exigency funds to section governments.

– David Jackson

Florida Senate statement kicks off

The statement betwixt Rubio and Demin has started.

Rubio looks towards a 3rd word successful the Senate arsenic Demings seeks to flip it blue, hoping to springiness Democrats a limb up successful the Senate.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Rubio leads Demings successful latest polling

The two-term Florida Senator is starring his Democratic challenger by 6 percent points, according to a Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey released earlier this month.

Rubio has maintained a accordant borderline against Demings passim the predetermination season.

While Demings is seen arsenic competitory arsenic she looks to flip the Florida Senate spot blue, the erstwhile Orlando constabulary main is not apt to win, according to Jessica Taylor, from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, arsenic the Sunshine State arsenic expanding shifted to the close implicit the years.

"Demings volition person wealth to vie and she's already astatine a amended juncture than past statewide Democrats person been — and superior turnout this week was higher than expected for Democrats," Taylor said. "But that doesn't alteration that Florida has go lone much Republican successful caller years, with a somewhat redder hue contempt its perpetual plaything authorities status."

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Social media smackdown: Demings and Rubio lukewarm up for debate

Demings and Rubio are previewing their statement strategies connected Twitter, and it sounds similar it whitethorn beryllium a hard-hitting night.

"The lone happening Marco Rubio knows however to tally is his mouth," Demings tweeted of the two-term U.S. senator. "He is not qualified to correspond Florida."

Team Marco, the campaign's Twitter account, indicated that their campaigner will  cast congresswoman Demings arsenic a wide cipher of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic person Chuck Schumer.

"Val Demings’ unsighted loyalty to Nancy Pelosi is precisely wherefore Chuck Schumer hand-picked her to tally against Marco," said the Rubio feed.

– David Jackson

Who is Marco Rubio?  

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is moving for his 3rd word successful the Senate. He was archetypal elected successful 2010.  

Rubio serves arsenic Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee connected Intelligence and formerly served arsenic president of the Committee connected Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He besides serves connected the Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees.

In 2016, the Republican legislator launched a statesmanlike bid but dropped out after losing in the Florida primary.

The incumbent, who lives successful West Miami, has touted his working-class Cuban heritage and often references however his begetter worked arsenic a bartender and his parent arsenic a maid.  

- Rachel Looker 

Who is Val Demings?  

Democratic Rep. Val Demings has served successful the U.S. House of Representatives for 3 terms successful Florida’s 10th district.

The Democrat served arsenic Orlando’s archetypal pistillate main of constabulary and has nearly three decades of experience in instrumentality enforcement. 

Demings serves connected the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Intelligence Committees and was an impeachment manager successful the 2020 impeachment proceedings of then-President Donald Trump.

She started moving astatine 14 years aged and was the archetypal from her household to postgraduate from college.  

- Rachel Looker 

Demings retired raises, outspends Rubio

Demings raised much than her Republican challenger, raising $64.6 cardinal to Rubio’s $44.1. The Democrat besides outspent her hostile by astir $25 cardinal according to FEC filing information past reported Sept. 30.

Despite outraising and outspending the incumbent successful TV ads, Rubio has somewhat much currency connected hand, $9.6 cardinal compared to Deming’s $6.6 million.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

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