Rubio seeks re-election to Senate, calls Trump 'worrisome'

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said on Wednesday he would seek re-election to his U.S. Senate seat, reversing a pledge not to run and saying the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency worries him.

The first-term Florida senator said the Senate can be frustrating but said it is also a place where policy advances can be made and one that can act to counteract the power of the White House.

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"But as we begin the next chapter in the history of our nation, there's another role for the Senate that could end up being its most important in the years to come: The Constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president," Rubio said in a statement.

Republicans are more likely to retain Rubio's seat if he is a candidate in the Nov. 8 general election, as they seek to hold onto their majority in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Rubio running again was a "terrific outcome."

Rubio had harsh words for Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, warning that her election would mean four more years of what he termed President Barack Obama's "failed" policies.

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But he also said the prospect of likely Republican nominee Donald Trump winning the White House was also "worrisome," citing the candidate's statements about women and minorities.

"If he is elected, we will need willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him," Rubio said.

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The decision reverses a campaign pledge Rubio made a year ago to retire from the Senate if his presidential bid were unsuccessful.

Rubio, 45, ended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in March after he lost the primary in his home state to Trump.

Republican Representative David Jolly, who had been seeking the Senate seat, ended his campaign on Friday, opening the door for Rubio.

The Democratic challenger, U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy, criticized Rubio for changing his plans.

"Marco Rubio abandoned his constituents, and now he's treating them like a consolation prize," Murphy said in a statement.

Rubio announced his re-election bid two days before a Friday deadline to tell state officials that he planned to run.

He said he had made the decision at home in West Miami, Florida, during this past Father's Day weekend, with his wife and four children.