Rubio Running for Senate Re-Election in Florida.
CUOMO: Trump looms large over all the Republican races this cycle. Certainly in Florida, as voting begins in the state's high stakes primary in just minutes. One-time presidential hopeful Senator Marco Rubio will likely face off with Democratic rival Patrick Murphy in November. Now, the outcome could have a very big impact on Capitol Hill. Covering this for us, CNN senior political reporter Manu Raju, live in Orlando with more. Tell us about it, my friend.</s>MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Hey, Chris. Florida once again at the center of the political universe, not just for Donald Trump's chances of winning the White House, but also Republican chances of keeping control of the Senate majority, which is one reason why Republican leaders essentially begged Marco Rubio to run for re-election and change that mind and do that, and he eventually did. And now that Marco Rubio is in the race, he has to navigate the cross currents caused by Donald Trump who won this state's Republican primary by nearly 20 points in March.</s>RAJU (voice-over): Marco Rubio used to be Donald Trump's harshest critic. Now, Rubio is on Florida's ballot in today's Senate primary and he is giving the GOP presidential nominee a lukewarm embrace. Rubio is open to campaigning alongside with Trump, and he won't take the GOP nominee to task for calling Hillary Clinton a bigot.</s>SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: Democrats have been calling Republicans a bigot for a long time. I think Hillary Clinton has a lot of problems. I think she is corrupt, she is dishonest. I do think some of the policies she stands for do harm minority communities, absolutely.</s>RAJU (on camera): Too far to call her a bigot, though?</s>RUBIO: Well, I'm not -- you have to ask other campaigns about the terms they use. I'm not -- I can tell you I don't want Hillary Clinton to be our president.</s>RAJU (voice-over): After ending his presidential bid, Rubio decided to run for re-election after the GOP lobbied him to break his pledge to run for the Senate. And he won't be making anymore pledges, not even to serve out his full six-year term if he wins this November. (on camera): Could you now commit to voters here in Florida that you'll serve an entire six years if you're elected?</s>RUBIO: No one can make that commitment because you don't know what the future will hold in your life personally or politically. I can commit to you this, and that is that if I am running to be a U.S. senator, I am fully prepared to allow the U.S. Senate to be the last political office I ever hold.</s>RAJU (voice-over): To keep control of Congress, Republicans need Trump to stay competitive with Clinton in battleground states like Florida. That means Republicans like Rubio need to court Trump supporters, as well as independents who may be turned off by the GOP nominee. Polls now show Rubio edging his likely Democratic opponent, Congressman Patrick Murphy.</s>RUBIO: Florida cannot afford a hyper-partisan liberal in the United States president.</s>RAJU: But while Murphy is a staunch Clinton supporter, Rubio has done battle with Trump.</s>RUBIO: He will be a disaster for America.</s>RAJU (on camera): You said a lot of things about Trump during the primary that you have not taken back yet. You call him a con artist. You call him a sham artist. You still don't -- you're not taking that back.</s>RUBIO: The primary is over. No, but the primary is over. Right now, the primary is over. The Republican voters have chosen a nominee and we have a choice between two feel. I do disagree with Donald on a number of things. I disagree with Hillary on everything.</s>RAJU: You said that he's too erratic to be trusted with the nuclear --</s>RUBIO: The primary is over. I'm not focused on the primary argument.</s>RAJU: How could you support someone you still have not --</s>RUBIO: How can Patrick Murphy support Hillary Clinton? How can he stand with Hillary Clinton when over and over again, she's proven to be untrustworthy?</s>RAJU (voice-over): Murphy, who's facing progressive firebrand Alan Grayson in today's primary, says he trusts Hillary Clinton, despite polls saying most voters feel the opposite. (on camera): Do you trust Hillary Clinton? Do you 100 percent trust her?</s>REP. PATRICK MURPHY (D), FLORIDA: Yes, I do.</s>RAJU: What issues do you disagree with her on?</s>MURPHY: Yes. Well, you know, look, I -- her support of the Iraq war early on.</s>RAJU (voice-over): But Murphy is eager to tie Rubio to Trump.</s>MURPHY: I was shocked, there's a lot of people I spoke with were shocked about the support Marco Rubio has given to Donald Trump. Donald Trump is perhaps the most racist, bigoted person ever make this far.</s>RAJU: Yet, Rubio's primary challenger Carlos Beruff says GOP voters are frustrated that the senator has not embraced Trump tightly enough, while adding this attack on Rubio.</s>CARLOS BERUFF (R), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I don't respect the guy.</s>RAJU: Trump is slated to give a major speech on immigration Wednesday. But despite their contrasting views, Rubio hold his punches. (on camera): Do you hope that he reverses his position to deport the 11 million undocumented --</s>RUBIO: Well, I consistently said that that's not -- I don't think that's a realistic approach.</s>RAJU: Is it realistic to build a wall on the border of Mexico?</s>RUBIO: Sure. Not -- I mean, you don't need to have a wall across the entire border. But key sectors of the border, absolutely you need a wall.</s>RAJU: Force Mexico to pay for it?</s>RUBIO: Well, Mexico will not pay for it. I've already said that. But we should -- that's our national security interest.</s>RAJU: Should Donald Trump soften his rhetoric?</s>RUBIO: Again, you'll have -- I'm more focused on the Democrats rhetoric on this issue.</s>CUOMO: So, again, the good example there, Manu, of the tough line for him to walk. As you said, the political crosswinds. Now, another race, there's going to be an echo effect in is going to be out there with John McCain. In his primary today, the latest CNN polls show him ahead, probably not by as much as he wants. But what affect have we seen Trump have on his race?</s>RAJU: Pretty significant because lot of those Donald Trump supporters in Arizona simply don't like John McCain because of his incumbency and because of his role in immigration. John McCain like Marco Rubio trying to cut a big immigration deal and a lot of those folks do not like that in Arizona. But the real challenge for John McCain is in November against a well- funded Democratic candidate, favored by the establishment, Ann Kirk Patrick, because John McCain would not only need those Trump supporters to come to the polls but also Hispanic voters in that state who have been turned off by Donald Trump. So, also a fine line for John McCain to walk and not just today in today's primary but also in November -- Chris.</s>CUOMO: Big contrast in styles, though, between McCain and Rubio.