JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio made a stop in Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon to host his ‘Getting Things Done’ rally at a local brewing company.
The Republican incumbent is facing off against Florida Congresswoman and Democrat Val Demings in the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida. The opponents have debated key issues such as reproductive rights, gun control and inflation.
More than a hundred Rubio supporters came to the Veteran’s United Craft Brewery to hear the senator speak just as early voting is underway.
Rubio acknowledged what Duval County means to his race.
“It’s a big county. It’s an important county. It represents 17, 18-percent of the state’s voting population. So it’s a place we want to do well, we did well the last time. We want to do well again and I think it’s going to come down to whether people come out and vote. If people come out and vote, the turn out is good and it’s high-- we’ll win,” said Rubio.
He also discussed a variety of issues including gun violence, immigration and inflation.
“People here are facing the same challenges people are facing everywhere. The cost of living is through the roof, everything costs more -- gas prices are adding to that. There are concerns about what the federal government has done to make that worse and the desire for federal policies that will make that better,” Rubio said.
When asked what Rubio thought his biggest challenge was, he responded:
“Well, I don’t know. I think it’s a challenge any candidate faces, which is to make sure your supporters turn out,” Rubio said. “Sometimes people think ‘my vote doesn’t really matter,’ but it does.”
Rubio’s Democratic challenger, Demings, is a Florida Congresswoman and a former Orlando Police Chief. Her website states she hopes to fight for affordable healthcare and housing, reduce violent crime and create new jobs.
News4JAX spoke to voters at the event about the issues that are motivating them to head to the polls.
Some said topics such as border security, drugs and weapons. Others focused on hyperlocal issues like crime reduction.
News4JAX reached out to the Demings campaign for comment but has not heard back yet.