Congressman Tom Rooney For U.S. Senate?

Considered a favorite front runner, Atwater dominated the polls with a 4 point lead over Democratic candidate, Patrick Murphy. In a twist of events over the weekend, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Atwater announced he would not run for U.S. Senate in 2016. With Atwater out of the race, Republicans have shifted their attention to Congressman Tom Rooney.

Rooney currently represents Florida’s Congressional District 17 serving part of Manatee County and all of Charlotte County, which includes 8 other counties from southern Hillsborough to Lake Okeechobee. A former JAG officer and six year veteran of Congress, Rooney has worked hard in Washington focusing on military issues and sitting on the Armed Forces and the Intelligence committees.

With 2016 quickly approaching and Rubio vacating his seat to run for President, and Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Atwater out, Rooney has become an extremely viable option for Republicans. From his military experience to his committee assignments, Rooney brings more experience than Democratic candidate, Patrick Murphy.

Previously, Rooney had denied making a run for U.S. Senate, but in a recent Politico article he explains, “Honestly, the reason why it sort of resurfaced is because the things that I like to talk about (national security issues) seem to be at the top of everybody’s agenda right now.”

In the list of potential Republican contenders to run for Rubio’s seat, Rooney sets himself apart with his military experience, and given the current climate abroad and the continued missteps in foreign policy, Rooney’s understanding of the military apparatus and foreign affairs would be a welcomed addition to the U.S. Senate.

While some question Rooney’s ability to make the leap from Congress to Senate, Rooney’s resume speaks for itself. During his time in Congress Rooney has been critical of the Obama administration and played a prominent role on various fronts ranging from the War on Terror to environmental affairs as well as citrus and cattle issues.

It is no surprise the gaping hole left for Republicans in the U.S. Senate race by Jeff Atwater will be a tough one to fill, but one thing is for certain, Congressman Rooney is their best shot at keeping Rubio’s seat in 2016.