'Outmached': Supercut recaps Val Demings excoriating Marco Rubio at Florida Senate debate

19 October 2022

Incumbent Republican United States Senator Marco Rubio and his Democratic challenger, three-term Congresswoman and former Orlando Chief of Police Val Demings, squared off in their only debate on Tuesday night in the increasingly tight race for Rubio's seat in the November midterm elections.

Throughout the hour-long showdown at Palm Beach State College’s Lake Worth Campus, there occurred several notable moments in which Demings' remarks about Rubio's record caused him to profusely sweat and the audience to cheer. On Wednesday night, the Lincoln Project published a supercut of Demings' zingers.

"Marco Rubio is clearly outmatched on every level — passion, commitment, intelligence, loyalty, and patriotism. Florida, pick your fighter," the group tweeted along with the spliced clips of Demings holding Rubio accountable.

"Congresswoman Val Demings owns Senator Marco Rubio," the video's opening text reads, which is followed by Demings' critiques of Rubio on a variety of important issues:

Senator, how gullible do you really think Florida voters are?

And I'm really disappointed in you, Marco Rubio, because I think there was a time when you did not lie in order to win. I don't know what happened to you.

Economic inflation:

Of course, the senator who has never run anything at all but his mouth would know nothing about helping people and being there for people when they are in trouble.

Reproductive rights:

No, senator, I don't think it's okay for a ten-year-old girl to be raped and have to carry the seed of her rapist. No, I don't think it's okay for you to make decisions for women and girls.

Prescription drugs:

He talked about pharmaceuticals. He voted against legislation that would help reduce the cost of prescription drugs and help cap the cost of insulin. [Applause]

Gun control:

Senator, you used the Pulse nightclub shooting as your inspiration to run again for the Senate in 2016. Pulse is in my district. And yet, you've done nothing, nothing to help address gun violence and get dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people.

How long will you watch people being gunned down in first grade, fourth grade, high school, college, church, synagogue, a grocery store, a movie theater, a mall, and a nightclub, and do nothing?

Our primary responsibility is the safety of Floridians. And senator, twenty-four years in elected office and you have not yet risen to the occasion, and then when asked about it, you say something that makes no sense.

After Demings delivered her closing statement scolding Rubio over his opposition to price caps on insulin, the moderator from ABC News affiliate WPBF 25 chuckled and thanked the two candidates.

Watch below or at this link.

From Your Site Articles