Rubio canvasser brutally assaulted in Florida, senator says

Ryan King

October 24, 03:59 PM October 24, 03:59 PM

A canvasser rallying voters on behalf of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) was brutally beaten Sunday night while donning conservative outerwear, the senator announced on Monday.

The campaign staffer was wearing a T-shirt bearing Rubio's name and a Gov. Ron DeSantis hat when he was assaulted, leaving him with a broken jaw and internal bleeding, according to Rubio.

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"Last night one of our canvassers wearing my T-shirt and a Desantis hat was brutally attacked by 4 animals who told him Republicans weren’t allowed in their neighborhood in #Hialeah #Florida," Rubio wrote in a tweet. "He suffered internal bleeding, a broken jaw & will need facial reconstructive surgery."

In photos of the young man provided by Rubio, he was seen with blood running down his face and a swollen jawline in an ambulance. His eyes also appeared to be swollen shut.

Charlie Crist, the Democratic nominee for Florida governor, who was bested by Rubio in their 2010 Senate showdown, sent out a tweet condemning violence in politics.

"There’s no place for violence in politics. Senator Rubio, your canvasser is in our prayers and we look forward to those responsible being brought to justice," he tweeted.

Hialeah is a city nestled in Miami-Dade County with a population of over 220,000 residents. Rubio tweeted that the city was ready for a Republican surge in the midterm elections.

"Early in-person voting has begun in much of #Florida and #Hialeah is ready for a red wave #Sayfie," he wrote.

The Washington Examiner reached out to a Rubio spokesperson for additional information. The Washington Examiner is also reaching out to police for comment.

Rubio is vying for a third term in the Senate and is facing off against Rep. Val Demings (D-FL). He is favored to win the race by forecasters including the Cook Political Report and FiveThirtyEight. The incumbent senator also touts a lead in most polling. Voters head to the polls for in-person voting on Nov. 8. Early voting began Monday for dozens of counties.