Florida congressman David Jolly dropped his Florida Senate bid Friday, clearing one of a few possible hurdles for Marco Rubio to run for the seat he intended to vacate.
Jolly had previously said he’d step aside if Rubio, a fellow Republican, chose to enter the race. The Tampa Bay Times has more:
Rubio indicated to reporters Thursday that he would consider a reelection run, coming on the heels of an eventful and tragic week. A terrorist attack in Orlando caused the national security-oriented senator to ponder his future during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, and Rubio’s personal friend and Florida Senate hopeful Carlos Lopez-Cantera disclosed to Politico that he advised Rubio to reconsider his decision when they met after the shooting.
Combined with Rubio’s increasing public presence in recent weeks, the series of events has led to speculation that Rubio may jump into the campaign.
