As the FBI examines a new cache of emails potentially relevant to its investigation of Hillary Clinton's handling of classified information, Florida Republicans are using the news to boost the re-election prospects of Senator Marco Rubio.

  • Polls still show Rubio ahead of Murphy
  • Murphy has maintained strong ties to the Clinton campaign
  • Rubio says 'we need a senator willing to stand up to the next president'

Rubio has been locked in a tight contest against South Florida Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy, with both candidates' fortunes dependent to some extent on the performance of their parties' standard-bearers. While polls have suggested Rubio could benefit from ticket-splitting among voters opposed to Donald Trump, sagging Republican enthusiasm has kept the race competitive.

Within hours of Friday's revelation that FBI Director James Comey had informed congressional leaders of his agency's discovery of the emails, Rubio presented Murphy with a rhetorical challenge.

  • Join us for exclusive coverage of the general election throughout October and through the Nov. 8 election. Here's your guide to our special coverage:

"Patrick Murphy will need to let Floridians know if he still trusts Hillary Clinton a hundred percent, as he has said in the past," Rubio said in a statement sent to reporters by his campaign.

And on Monday, the pro-Trump super PAC Rebuilding America Now began running a television ad touting the news about the emails and asking, 'Are we OK with this?'

While the turn of events may not be significant enough to shift the outcome of a presidential race Clinton has been dominating, down-ballot contests across the country - particularly the Senate race in swing state Florida - could be susceptible to game-changing effects.

"I think he still can definitely win the race, but it is definitely uphill and it's harder now," Florida Democratic strategist Steve Schale said of Murphy's chances, which he currently puts at 45 percent.

"Where Murphy was benefiting was the attention that was coming to his race, both nationally and statewide, frankly, from the DSCC pulling out of the race," Schale said, referring to national Democrats curtailing spending on Murphy's behalf. "Now that something else has taken over the front page of the media, that hurts him as much as anything."

The news also plays directly into a key Rubio message: that his re-election would serve as a check on the next president. While Murphy has embraced Clinton's candidacy, Rubio has had a chilly relationship with Trump, who vanquished the senator in the Republican presidential primaries.

"I said all along that these were less than ideal choices before us, and that's why we need a senator willing to stand up to the next president no matter who it is," Rubio said in his statement.