If anyone is going to take down Marco Rubio in the upcoming Senate race, it will be U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. But the 33-year-old, former Republican who ousted Allen West in 2012 has to get by caustic, controversial Rep. Alan Grayson first.
The two were scheduled to debate later this month. Murphy has unilaterally canceled it–citing allegations that Grayson abused his ex-wife. He says constituents have been telling him he can’t give Grayson a “platform to legitimize his campaign.”
That’s lame. If Murphy wants to out Grayson for who he is, take him on. For someone with a padded, pre-congressional resume, this is a time for Murphy to remind Floridians that he is an effective Sunshine State advocate–not just the beneficiary of a doting, wealthy father. It’s also an opportunity to get in some much-needed practice for this fall’s Rubio debates.