Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) says he will participate in three debates and one forum against Sen. Marco Rubio, agreeing to half the number of matchups proposed by the Florida Republican.
{mosads}Murphy’s acceptance comes two weeks after Rubio challenged the Florida Democrat to six debates ahead of November election.
“Floridians face an important choice this November, between someone who will show up and work hard for them, and Marco Rubio, who abandoned our state and has the worst vote attendance record of any Florida Senator in nearly 50 years,” Murphy said in a Monday statement. “I look forward to making that choice clear in our upcoming debates.”
Rubio’s campaign quickly seized on Murphy’s statement, accusing him of “ducking” debates and called on the congressman to agree to the six debates.
“As he’s done in every election he’s been a part of — Patrick Murphy is ducking debates yet again,” Rubio said in a statement on Monday. “I did six debates six years ago. Why only do half now? Floridians today deserve no less than what they received in 2010, and they deserve to know where we stand on the important issues facing our country.”
“I will ask Patrick, once again, to join me in committing to six media-sponsored debates between now and Election Day.”
Murphy originally responded to Rubio’s debate request in late August, knocking him for saying he can’t commit to serving an entire six-year term. In a CNN interview last month, Rubio said that, “No one can make that commitment because you don’t know what the future’s gonna hold in your life personally or politically.”
The race between Murphy and Rubio has been heating up in the final two months of the campaign. It’s a seat that could be pivotal in determining which party controls the upper chamber next year.
Rubio goes into the race with higher name recognition after his unsuccessful run for his party’s nomination for president. A RealClearPolitics polling average has him ahead by 4.4 points.
Still, political observers in the state expect the race to tighten as it gets closer to November and believe the Senate race will hinge on voter turnout and what happens at the top of the ticket.