TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio will return to Washington for a second term, emerging victorious from a campaign he jumped into at the last minute after he shut down his presidential campaign.
Rubio defeated Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy in Tuesday's election in a race that was seen as critical for Republicans if they were to maintain their Senate majority.
Rubio's decision to seek re-election boosted the GOP's chance of keeping the seat, and outside groups pumped millions of dollars into the race to help ensure Rubio's victory.
Rubio repeatedly said he wouldn't seek a second term after he dropped out of the presidential race when Donald Trump soundly beat him in Florida's primary. But Rubio changed his mind two days before the deadline to get on the ballot.
