MIAMI — Sen. Marco Rubio won reelection Tuesday, comfortably defeating Democratic opponent Val Demings in a race defined by pervasive economic pessimism and the national Democratic Party’s reluctance to compete in a state increasingly seen as a conservative stronghold.
With the victory, Rubio, 51, becomes the first Republican U.S. senator in Florida history to win a third term in office — and cements his place as one of the most consequential GOP politicians of his era in the state even as his national political ambitions remain thwarted for the time being.
The Associated Press called the race for Rubio shortly after all polling stations in the state closed at 8 p.m. With most the vote in around 10 p.m. and more than 7 million ballots cast, the Republican incumbent held a lead of more than 1 million votes.
