(Image via Twitter)
Incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio won the Republican primary in Florida on Tuesday.
The race was called soon after the polls closed at 7 p.m. ET.
He defeated real estate developer Carlos Beruff in a sweeping victory, claiming nearly 72 percent of the vote and all counties in the primary.
(Images via The New York Times)
Rubio will face off against Democratic primary winner Rep. Patrick Murphy in the general-election Senate race.
Who wins in November may determine which party controls the Senate next year.
Rubio broke a pledge not to run for re-election after bowing out as a 2016 Republican presidential candidate.
He explained that his decision to run centered on maintaining Republican control of the Senate.
“Control of the Senate may very well come down to the race in Florida,” said Rubio. “That means the future of the Supreme Court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the direction of our country’s fiscal and economic policies will be determined by this Senate seat. The stakes for our nation could not be higher.”
The Senate general-election takes place on Nov. 8.