A canvasser for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was left with severe injuries after he was attacked and told that Republicans weren't allowed in the area he was working.
The attack took place on the street in Hialeah, Florida, according to a post from the Senator.
"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 posted. "He suffered internal bleeding, a broken jaw & will need facial reconstructive surgery."
Since the attack, police have arrested Javier Lopez, who is suspected of participating in the beating, but according to a police report, no other attackers were involved.
The report then says that the canvasser tried to walk down a sidewalk he was blocked by Lopez. When he tried to go to the other side of the street to get around him when Lopez allegedly said, "You can't pass by here, this is my neighborhood."
In response, the victim said he was using public property, and an argument broke out, resulting in Lopez allegedly rushing, grabbing, and slamming the canvasser to the ground, according to the police report.
The police report did not mention any other attackers, but it did say that a third person kicked Lopez in the face during the struggle and ran off. Still, the attack continued as Lopez punched the canvasser in the face repeatedly.
The attack resulted in "severe swelling" to the canvasser's face, including his eye swelling shut and "severe swelling and bleeding" from his mouth.
The attack is being investigated by the Hialeah Police Department and Sgt. Jose Torres shared with WSVN that they are looking to see whether it was hate or politically motivated.
"We're going to allow detectives to conduct their own investigation and come down to the conclusion whether it was hate motivated or political motivated," Torres told WSVN.
WSVN identified the canvasser as Christopher Monzon. He is believed to have connections to White nationalist causes.
Rubio has also called out the media after the attack saying that it was politically motived.
Rubio's opponent in the upcoming election, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), released a statement following the attack, condemning the assault on a Rubio supporter.
"Chief Demings strongly condemns all acts of violence and the attackers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," a Demings campaign spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. "Campaign volunteers deserve to feel safe in every neighborhood, and we're praying for a speedy recovery for the canvasser who was attacked last night."
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