Thomas Cordy / AP
MIAMI – Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings went on the assault Tuesday in her 1st discussion towards Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, castigating him as a serial liar, while Rubio criticized her for supporting President Joe Biden’s financial agenda. Just about every accused the other of staying an extremist on abortion.
Rubio, a two-term senator, and Demings, a a few-time period congresswoman and former Orlando police chief, confronted questions on matters which includes inflation, voting legal rights, gun violence, immigration and overseas coverage.
When questioned to describe his situation on abortion, Rubio skirted a concern on whether he would help a federal abortion ban with no exceptions and in its place called Demings’ posture serious because she would not say what limitations on abortion she would aid.
“Each invoice I have ever sponsored on abortion and every bill I’ve ever voted for has exceptions,” Rubio stated.
“What we know is that the senator supports no exceptions,” Demings responded. “He can make his mouth say just about anything these days. He is excellent at that, by the way. What working day is it and what is Marco Rubio expressing?”
Subsequent the Supreme Court’s ruling in June that overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade determination legalizing abortion, Rubio has expressed his particular opposition to abortion in all instances while indicating he’d back again abortion-proscribing statutes that consist of exceptions. Demings supports abortion obtain at minimum till fetal viability and said doctors need to be the ones to figure out.
Rubio stands to benefit from the widening voter registration gain that Republicans maintain above Democrats in the ever more conservative point out. The rightward change will possible extend in regions this kind of as Miami-Dade County, house to Rubio.
Demings has criticized Rubio for his attendance history in the Senate, when the senator has named Demings a “rubber stamp” for the Biden agenda, as the president contends with inflation pressures and soaring gas price ranges.
But on Tuesday, Rubio also attacked Demings for not passing laws in Washington, declaring all she experienced completed was get two publish offices named for law enforcement officers who died in the line of responsibility. Demings angrily turned down his characterization.
“It really is uncomfortable that you assume that honoring a person who was a hero by naming a federal creating right after them is almost nothing,” she mentioned.
Demings repeatedly accused Rubio of distorting her history.
“I am genuinely disappointed in you due to the fact I believe there was a time when you did not lie in purchase to earn,” she claimed.
