"Florida has always been a competitive state and it will be this fall. Marco had planned to go to the convention before he decided to seek re-election. Since Marco got into the race late, he will be in Florida campaigning and meeting with voters instead of going to Ohio," Rubio spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times.

Rubio made a late decision to run for reelection to the Senate after his failed presidential campaign and pressure from top Republicans worried about losing his seat. Rubio had previously promised when launching his presidential campaign to retire from the Senate at the end of his term.



Rubio will face businessman Carlos Beruff, who has tried to use Rubio's change of heart about running to argue he's not committed to Floridians.