With the U.S. Congress back in session this week, politicos and media types in Florida can take a bit of a break from the month-long political grind of this past August.
Well, maybe not. Even with members of the U.S. House and Senate back at their desks in Washington, D.C., expect campaigning to be on their mind as they take to their respective chamber floors to pontificate on something having directly or indirectly to do with their reelection.You can count on that.
The big news in Florida is still the buzz about the spread of the Zika virus. Both Senator Marco Rubio (R) and Rep. Patrick Murphy (D), will be pushing for more funding to combat the pesky bug that is spreading the disease.
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Rubio has voted in favor of every single Zika virus funding bill in the Senate, and he is going to remind you that he has. Of course he will, remember, it’s an election year.-Sen. Marco Rubio
Rubio’s opponent in the Senate race, Rep. Murphy, is also talking tough about Zika.“I will continue to support legislation that will fund the fight against Zika, just as I have voted for every single bill that’s come up in the Senate so far…I will do so again on Tuesday, but Congress should be prepared to pass a Zika funding measure as part of whatever spending bill ultimately passes to fund the government beyond September 30.-Naples Daily News
“I will also reintroduce legislation to better protect our service members at home and abroad from Zika. And if Democrats do not block the defense appropriations bill, I will offer an amendment to combat Zika through existing Department of Defense health and medical research budgets.”-Rep. Patrick Murphy (TB Times)
Meanwhile, both Republicans and Democrats are pointing the finger at each other over who is to blame for the lack of funding to combat the virus.
Again, of course they are blaming each other, it’s election season.
The latest Real Clear Politics average of polls in Florida’s U.S. Senate race has Rubio beating Murphy by 5.7 percent.
