EXCLUSIVE: This week's edition of the Fox New Digital's "Election Spotlight," features midterm candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and his exclusive take on his matchup with Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., Biden's student loan handout, and why he believes he should remain in the Florida Senate.
Rep. Val Demings did not respond to Fox News Digital's multiple requests to participate in this series.
What is your position on President Biden's student loan handout?
Rubio: "It’s illegal, it’s unfair, and it fails to address the underlying problem. The student loan system is broken and needs reform. But this one-time cancelation is totally unfair to the 87% of Americans that either had loans and responsibly paid them off or decided not to go to college in the first place. Biden doesn’t have the authority to cancel over $600 billion worth of student loans with the stroke of a pen, and both he and Nancy Pelosi conceded that previously."
"Biden’s bailout also doesn’t bring any change for Americans that take out a loan tomorrow. It’s a quick political fix for a long-term policy issue, and I have bipartisan ideas that I’ve been pushing for years to do this. My LOAN Act would eliminate federal student loan interest rates, replacing them with a one-time, non-compounding financing fee to be paid out over the life of the loan. Val Demings’ support of Biden’s student loan bailout proves she will always stand with her blue-state donors over the interests of Florida families."
DESANTIS AND RUBIO LEAD MIDTERM RACES IN FLORIDA, INFLATION TOP ISSUE TO VOTERS IN THE STATE
How do you respond to President Biden's comments that he doesn't respect MAGA Republicans?
Rubio: "So much for ‘unity’. Democrats are dehumanizing, defaming and smearing not just Republican officeholders, but Republican voters. We always knew what Joe Biden and the rest of the Washington elites thought of Republicans. Remember when Barack Obama accused Republicans of "clinging to their guns and religion"? Well, Biden is going a step further, suggesting anyone who disagrees with his radical agenda is a fascist."
"Val Demings claims she’s running to represent all of Florida, but she has never once rejected Joe Biden’s agenda or his rhetoric."
RUBIO RESPONDS TO DEMINGS' COMMENTS, ACCUSES DEM OPPONENT OF SUPPORTING ABORTION ‘AT ANY POINT’
Why should voters choose you over your opponent?
Rubio: "I get things done for Florida whether there’s a Republican or Democrat in office. Demings has not authored a single substantive law."
"When the pandemic hit, I created the Paycheck Protection Program, saving over half a million Florida small businesses and six million Florida jobs. Meanwhile, Val Demings was auditioning to be Joe Biden’s Vice President and doing absolutely nothing to help Floridians navigate that crisis."
"I also fought against some in my own party to double the Child Tax Credit for working families, which was proven to benefit lower income communities in particular. I created accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs and made it possible for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits to get the care they need. I drove historic levels of funding to Everglades restoration efforts, including to improve water quality and manage invasive species, leading even the New York Times to call me "the national park's most vigorous champion in the Senate". I expanded treatment options for children battling cancer and successfully protected Florida's low income housing tenants from slumlords."
"Unlike Val Demings who votes with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time, I’ve voted against my party before when it was in the best interest of Floridians."
What are the issues most important to Floridians, and how will you address them if elected?
Rubio: "It costs far too much to raise a family, and we need to have good jobs here to make it more affordable. We should be encouraging young Americans to attend trade and technical schools, eliminating the false perception that you need a college degree (and massive debt) to be successful. We can also incentivize businesses to bring good jobs back to the United States. Right now, we are far too reliant on China for the things we need in this country. Everything from the minerals in batteries to active ingredients in our medicines runs through China. Not only is that dangerous, it means fewer jobs in America and a weakened national security."
"We have the power to restore the American Dream that I benefited from, and Florida needs a Senator that knows how to put that power to use."
If you could enact a single new legislation today, what would it be and why?
Rubio: "Last year, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the White House was ‘flagging problematic posts’ for Big Tech companies. In a world where social media serves as the public square, there should be zero coordination between these companies and the federal government."
"I introduced the PRESERVE Online Speech Act to combat censorship coordination and require technology companies to disclose any U.S. or foreign government requests or recommendations regarding content moderation. Americans should know when governments — especially their own — request or pressure internet companies to censor legal speech."
"As I wrote in a Fox News op-ed last year, transparency is critical, but it alone will not change the poisonous role that Big Tech and social media corporations are playing in our national politics. My DISCOURSE Act would take away Big Tech’s special legal protections, known as Section 230. If Big Tech is going to censor certain viewpoints or amplify others, then it should be treated just like any other industry. No more special treatment."
Check back next week for another edition of Election Spotlight to hear from candidates on the ballot this fall.
