On the stump, Marco Rubio has distanced himself from the Republican Party establishment, talking more like a Christian grass-roots conservative.
But the flood of recent endorsements—former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal notwithstanding—suggests quite the opposite. And his shoring up the support of the GOP establishment likely precipitated the attacks from other “establishment” candidates, such as Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, and John Kasich during Saturday night’s debate.
Among the latest endorsements:
U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel who once carried President Ronald Reagan’s “nuclear football” — “Marco Rubio offers bold and conservative plans to the challenges our country faces today which is why I am proud to endorse him for President. After the failures of the past seven years, Republicans need to get behind a candidate that will govern as a conservative but can also win a general election, and Marco Rubio is that candidate.
“As a member of the Marine Corps for 25 years, I understand the most important job of a president is keeping our country safe and standing with the men and women who serve. I know Marco Rubio has the skills, intelligence and leadership capabilities to be a strong Commander-in-Chief that will protect our country at home and make sure we are strong abroad.
“I was privileged to have the opportunity to work for Ronald Reagan, whose vision about the greatness of America and the American Dream inspired so many. Marco Rubio has that same vision, and with him as President, I know he will make sure that the American Dream can continue to be passed down to future generations of Americans.”
Former New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson — “There is a lot to like about Senator Rubio. But things I like best about him is he has a real vision for America. He believes in this country. He knows he can make this country great. He also knows in order to make America great, we also have to make our states great.
“He was the former Speaker of the House in Florida. He has a lot of experience in the state legislatures making things happen. So he understands the federal government and the state government. He can make places like New Hampshire or Massachusetts strong again on their own, which makes this country great as a whole.”
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) — “I would say to you that Nebraskans and I believe Americans aren’t really focused on how that was said. They’re focused on what Marco Rubio does. He inspires people.
“He is strong on national security. He understands the threats to this country. I do serve on the Armed Services Committee and I chair the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats. I know what the challenges are out there that we face. And no one knows these threats better, no one knows the challenges that we have in the world today, the dangerous world we face than Marco Rubio.
“That’s why I’m supporting him. He will be a strong commander-in-chief. He will keep us safe. He will keep our country safe. He will keep our families safe.”
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