Rep. Stephanie Murphy won’t run for Senate, instead focusing on greater Democratic party efforts in Florida

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The 2022 election for one of Florida’s U.S. Senate seats is already becoming a hot topic ahead of next year’s election as several Democrats are eyeing to flip the seat, however, Rep. Stephanie Murphy won’t be among those candidates.

Murphy (Fla.-D) revealed Monday in a video posted to social media she won’t be seeking to defeat Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022. The representative from Winter Park said she had been considering a run since February but after “great reflection” decided against it, sighting “too many close losses” for the Democratic party.

Murphy said she traveled across Florida speaking with fellow party members about how they can “regroup and reenergize” the party ahead of the 2022 election. The congresswoman stopped short of saying she wouldn’t pursue a run in 2024 when Florida’s second seat is up for grabs.

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“I’ve decided instead of running for the U.S. Senate, I will devote my energy to helping make our party stronger,” Murphy said in the video. “While I will not be running statewide in ‘22, I will work to help the Democratic party build towards statewide success. We must start now, with unity of effort, if we want the state to be ready to put the White House, a Senate seat and more state and local races in the democratic column in ‘24.”

Fellow Democratic Rep. Val Demings, also of Central Florida, has already thrown her hat in the ring, announcing she plans to challenge Rubio next year. Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson has also signaled that he is considering a run, reports The Associated Press.

First elected to Congress in 2016, the national profile for 64-year-old Demings has rapidly expanded. She was an impeachment manager during the first trial against former President Donald Trump and was considered a leading contender to be Joe Biden’s running mate. As the first female police chief in Orlando, she is particularly appealing to some Democrats for her experience as a Black woman with a background in law enforcement.

Both of Florida’s U.S. Senate seats are currently held by Republicans after former Florida Gov. Rick Scott defeated longtime Sen. Bill Nelson in the 2018 election.

While Demings’ entrance in the race will attract attention, Rubio is still a formidable candidate. Elected during the tea party wave of 2010, he easily won reelection in 2016. Florida, meanwhile, has steadily trended in favor of Republicans. After twice backing Barack Obama, the state swung to Trump in 2016. Trump added to his margin last year, carrying the state by more than 3 percentage points and making inroads with some Latino voters, who dominate politics in Florida’s southern tip.

“The reality is that Marco Rubio will not be an easy opponent, especially if it’s on the heels of a bruising primary where Democrats spend millions attacking each other, instead of using those millions to build the infrastructure we so desperately need to win here,” Murphy said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.