Who’s tougher on crime in Florida’s big Senate race?

In the opening salvos of their campaign, Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Rep. Val Demings zero in on crime as a central issue of this year’s U.S. Senate race.

It’s not unusual that candidates try to out-tough each other on law and order. Voters are rightly worried about public safety, their fears amplified by a steady stream of news stories about muggings and murders. And this summer, we’ve seen recall elections waged against liberal district attorneys in San Francisco and Los Angeles whose “reformist” policies were easily translated as soft on crime.

Rubio sought to blunt Demings’ law-and-order credentials with endorsements by 55 sheriffs, plus the backing by leaders of the Police Benevolent Association and Florida Police Chiefs Association.

Demings last week made the first television ad of her campaign, touting her 27 years as a police officer, including seven years as Orlando police chief.