The 2016 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Florida, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. The primary elections for both the Republicans and Democrats took place on August 30, 2016.

Incumbent Republican Senator Marco Rubio ran for another term, but faced well-funded Republican primary opposition after initially announcing he would not seek re-election to his Senate seat. He had openly considered whether to seek re-election or run for president in 2016. He stated in April 2014 that he would not run for both the Senate and president in 2016, as Florida law prohibits a candidate from simultaneously appearing twice on a ballot, but did not rule out running for either office.

However, in April 2015, Rubio announced that he was running for president and would not seek re-election. He had initially said he would not run for re-election to the Senate even if he dropped out of the GOP presidential primary before he would have to qualify for the 2016 Senate primary ballot, for which the filing deadline was June 24, 2016.

On June 13, 2016, despite his previous statements that he would not run for re-election to his Senate seat, Rubio "seemed to open the door to running for re-election," citing the previous day's mass shooting in Orlando and how "it really gives you pause, to think a little bit about your service to your country and where you can be most useful to your country." On June 22, 2016, Rubio announced that he would seek re-election to the Senate, reversing his pledge not to run.

On August 30, the Republican Party nominated Marco Rubio, and the Democratic Party nominated Representative Patrick Murphy. Rubio won with the largest raw vote total in Florida history (until Donald Trump broke the record in 2020), taking a greater percentage of the popular vote than Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who won the state in the election. He is the first Republican Senator from Florida since 1994, and only the second with Connie Mack, to be reelected to a second term. Also, Mel Martinez's victory in 2004 marks the first time that Republicans had won one of Florida's Senate seats three times in a row (Mack succeeded Lawton Chiles, a Democrat, and was succeeded by another Democrat, Bill Nelson).

Marco Rubio won 48% of the Hispanic vote and 17% of the African American vote during this election, at the time considered an exceptional number for a Republican during a presidential year. Additionally, Rubio's raw vote total was the highest vote total for any Republican Senate candidate up until Texas Senator John Cornyn broke it in 2020.

Rubio would later win by a larger 16.4% margin in 2022, including winning a majority of Hispanic voters in Florida.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Carlos Beruff, real estate developer and chair of the Florida Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding Ernie Rivera, businessman Marco Rubio, incumbent U.S. senator Dwight Young, Pinellas County sheriff's deputy

Withdrawn Ron DeSantis, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Mary Elisabeth Godwin, pastor David Jolly, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Carlos Lopez-Cantera, lieutenant governor of Florida Todd Wilcox, businessman and former CIA case officer

Declined Jeff Atwater, chief financial officer of Florida Rick Baker, former mayor of St. Petersburg Pam Bondi, Florida attorney general Dan Bongino, radio host, former Secret Service agent, and nominee for the U.S. Senate from Maryland in 2012 and for MD-06 in 2014 (running for FL-19) Vern Buchanan, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former candidate for president in 2016 Curt Clawson, U.S. representative Randy Fine, businessman Anitere Flores, state senator (ran for reelection) Don Gaetz, state senator and former state senate president Mike Haridopolos, former president of the Florida Senate and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 George LeMieux, former U.S. senator Connie Mack IV, former U.S. representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012 Bill McCollum, former Florida attorney general, former U.S. representative, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2000, candidate in 2004 and candidate for governor in 2010 John Mica, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Jeff Miller, U.S. representative Adam Putnam, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and former U.S. representative Francis Rooney, former United States Ambassador to the Holy See (ran for U.S. House) Tom Rooney, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Dennis A. Ross, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Joe Scarborough, cable news personality and former U.S. representative Will Weatherford, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Daniel Webster, U.S. representative Allen West, former U.S. representative Ted Yoho, U.S. representative (ran for reelection)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror CarlosBeruff RonDeSantis DavidJolly IlyaKatz Carlos MarcoRubio ToddWilcox Other/UndecidedMason-DixonMason-Dixon August 22–24, 2016 400 ± 5% 22% — — — — 61% — 15%Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University August 19–22, 2016 327 ± 5.4% 8% — — — — 69% 5% 15%Florida Chamber of CommerceFlorida Chamber of Commerce August 17–22, 2016 249 ± 4.0% 19% — — — — 68% — 10%St. Leo UniversitySt. Leo University August 14–18, 2016 479 ± 4.5% 14% — — — — 68% — 18%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University August 1–3, 2016 183 ± 4.4% 12% – – – – 62% – 26%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls August 2, 2016 1,835 ± 2.3% 22% – – – – 55% – 23%Bay News 9/SurveyUSABay News 9/SurveyUSA June 25–27, 2016 555 ± 4.1% 11% – – – – 63% – 13%Vox Populi Polling (R)Vox Populi Polling (R) June 19–20, 2016 487 ± 4.4% 5% – – – – 57% 4% 34%St. Leo UniversitySt. Leo University June 10–16, 2016 500 ± 7% 4% 5% 4% 1% 3% 52% 2% 27% 8% 8% 8% 2% 9% – 5% 57%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon May 31–June 2, 2016 400 ± 5% 17% 10% 13% – 9% – 2% 49%News 13/Bay News 9News 13/Bay News 9 March 4–6, 2016 724 ± 3.7% 1% 11% 18% 4% 9% – 7% 50%Washington Post/UnivisionWashington Post/Univision March 2–5, 2016 450 ± 5.5% 0% 6% 5% – 6% – 2% 81%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 24–25, 2016 464 ± 4.6% – 14% 26% – 11% – 2% 47%Florida Atlantic University College of BusinessFlorida Atlantic University College of Business January 15–18, 2016 345 ± 5.2% – 8% 28% – 8% – – 57%St. Pete Polls/Saint PetersblogSt. Pete Polls/Saint Petersblog December 14–15, 2015 2,694 ± 1.9% – 18% 21% – 10% – 8% 44%St. Leo UniversitySt. Leo University 147 ± 8% – 6% 12% 4% 8% – 7% 63%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 11–13, 2015 377 ± 5.1% – 15% 18% – 14% – – 52%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error VernBuchanan BenCarson RonDeSantis DonGaetz DavidJolly GeorgeLeMieux Carlos BillMcCollum JeffMiller TomRooney ToddWilcox Other/UndecidedNews 13/Bay News 9 March 4–6, 2016 724 ± 3.7% – 56% – – – – – – – – – 44%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 20–24, 2015 500 ± 4.5% – – 8% – 11% – 7% 22% 6% – 1% 45% – – 9% – 16% – 10% – 8% – 2% 55%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls 1,074 ± 3.0% – — 9% — 22% — 11% — 12% — – 46%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing 729 ± 3.6% – — 16% — — — 7% 25% 6% — – 46%St. Leo UniversitySt. Leo University 425 ± 4.5% – — 6% 4% 6% 3% 7% 16% 8% — – 43%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon 425 ± 4.8% 7% – 4% 1% 8% 3% 4% 20% — 5% – 48% Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize error JeffAtwater PamBondi Carlos AdamPutnam AllenWest Other/Undecided 425 ± 4.8% 12% 25% 8% — 38% 18% 41% — 15% — — 43%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing 513 ± 4% 9% 36% — 12% — 43%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 4–7, 2014 818 ± 3.4% 17% 38% — 16% — 29%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Rocky De La Fuente, businessman, candidate for president in 2016, and American Delta Party and Reform Party nominee for president in 2016 Alan Grayson, U.S. representative Pam Keith, attorney, former judge advocate in the U.S. Navy, and daughter of former Ambassador Kenton Keith Reginald Luster, attorney Patrick Murphy, U.S. representative

Withdrawn Lateresa Jones, life coach and independent candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 (running as an Independent)

Declined Bob Buckhorn, mayor of Tampa Kathy Castor, U.S. representative Charlie Crist, former Republican governor of Florida, independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and Democratic nominee for governor in 2014 (running for the U.S. House of Representatives) Ted Deutch, U.S. representative (running for re-election) Buddy Dyer, mayor of Orlando Dan Gelber, former minority leader of the Florida House of Representatives, former state senator and nominee for Florida attorney general in 2010 Andrew Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee Philip Levine, mayor of Miami Beach Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. representative and former chair of the Democratic National Committee (running for re-election)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror AlanGrayson PamKeith LateresaJones PatrickMurphy Other/UndecidedMason-Dixon August 22–24, 2016 400 ± 5% 22% 4% — 55% 19%Florida Atlantic University August 19–22, 2016 364 8% 7% — 54% 22%Florida Chamber of Commerce August 17–22, 2016 258 ± 4.0% 11% — — 40% 38%St. Leo University August 14–18, 2016 532 ± 4.5% 17% 8% — 48% 27%Suffolk University August 1–3, 2016 194 ± 4.4% 17% 2% – 36% 45%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls August 2, 2016 1,807 ± 2.3% 20% 7% – 45% 28%Bay News 9/SurveyUSA June 25–27, 2016 618 ± 4.0% 21% 10% – 30% 35%Vox Populi Polling (R)Vox Populi Polling (R) June 19–20, 2016 530 ± 4.3% 15% 5% – 19% 62%Targeted PersuasionTargeted Persuasion June 14–16, 2016 862 ± 3.34% 30% 5% – 27% 38%St. Leo University June 10–16, 2016 500 ± 7% 14% 3% 4% 16% 61%Mason-Dixon May 31–June 2, 2016 400 ± 5% 23% 3% – 31% 43%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 22–23, 2016 829 ? 33% – – 32% 35%St. Leo UniversitySt. Leo University March 13–17, 2016 540 ± 5% 17% – – 20% 63%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon March 7–9, 2016 500 ± 4.5% 19% – – 33% 48%SurveyUSASurveyUSA March 4–6, 2016 592 ± 4.1% 16% 11% – 27% 46%Bendixon & Amandi/The Tarrance GroupBendixon & Amandi/The Tarrance Group March 2–5, 2016 449 ± 6% 19% – – 27% 54%UnivisionUnivision March 2–5, 2016 449 ± 6% 29% – – 36% 35%Public Policy Polling February 24–25, 2016 388 ± 5% 33% – – 22% 45%20/20 Insight LLC*20/20 Insight LLC* ~February 16–18, 2016 646 ± 3.9% 41% – – 32% 27%Florida Atlantic University College of Business January 15–18, 2016 371 ± 5% 27% – – 20% 53%St. Leo University November 29–December 3, 2015 160 ± 7.5% 7% 4% 6% 17% 55%Public Policy Polling September 11–13, 2015 368 ± 5.1% 33% – – 27% 39%Mason-Dixon July 20–24, 2015 500 ± 4.5% 24% – – 26% 50% 33% – – 32% 35%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls July 15, 2015 1,018 ± 3.1% 30% 8% – 23% 39%Gravis Marketing June 16–20, 2015 881 ± 3.3% 63% – – 19% 18%Vox Populi Polling (R) June 15–17, 2015 717 ± 3.7% 24% – – 34% 42%St. Leo University May 25–31, 2015 535 ± 4.5% 24% — – 27% 49%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon April 14–16, 2015 400 ± 5% 14% – – 23% 63%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 19–22, 2015 371 ± 5.1% 22% – – 21% 56% * Internal poll for Alan Grayson

Results

Libertarian primary On October 1, 2015, Adrian Wyllie and Lynn House, chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Libertarian Party of Florida, resigned their seats in protest after the executive committee refused to oust candidate Augustus Invictus from the party. According to Wyllie, Invictus had defended eugenics, called for a new civil war, and brutally slaughtered a goat, and is not representative of the Libertarian Party. Invictus has refuted these claims, calling Wyllie's accusations "deliberate misrepresentation[s]."