Rubio: I’m going to serve full six-year term — ‘God willing’

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Monday night promised to serve an entire six-year term if reelected, instead of running for president again in 2020, though he repeatedly added the caveat “God willing.”

{mosads}During Florida’s Senate debate between Rubio and Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, moderator Jonathan Karl of ABC News asked Rubio if he pledges to serve out an entire Senate term.

“I’m going to serve in the Senate for the next six years,” Rubio said, before adding. “God willing.”

“Not only am I going to serve in the Senate over the next six years, we’re going to, God willing, get a lot done over the next six years on behalf of the state.”

Karl interjected to clarify whether that means Rubio won’t run launch another presidential campaign for the 2020 cycle. Rubio ended his 2016 presidential campaign after losing his home state in the GOP primary and launched a reelection campaign shortly thereafter. 

“I’m going to be a senator for the next six years on behalf of Florida,” Rubio replied, to laughter from the audience.

“You can’t be a senator and a president at the same time,” he continued. “So I am running for the United States Senate, I’m going to serve for the next six years, God willing.”

Rubio is seeking reelection to a critical Senate seat that will likely determine which party controls the upper chamber next year. The Florida Republican leads Murphy by almost 5 points in a RealClearPolitics polling average.

In a CNN interview from late August, Rubio would not commit to serving a full term if reelected.

“No one can make that commitment because you don’t know what the future’s gonna hold in your life personally or politically,” he said.