Marco Rubio Wades into Iowa, Backs Joni Ernst for Senate

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, is wading into Iowa, the state that traditionally holds the first caucus to kickoff the long procession of contests which determines the nominee. Rubio announced on Monday his Reclaim America PAC is backing Joni Ernst for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia.

Im proud to announce that Joni Ernst from Iowa is my Reclaim America PACs newest endorsement of 2014, Rubio emailed supporters on Monday. Joni is running for United States Senate in Iowa and is the type of tough, no-nonsense conservative that we need in Washington. A mother of three and grandmother of six, Joni has spent 21 years serving our country in the U.S. Army Reserve and the Iowa Army National Guard. Elected to the Iowa State Senate in 2011, Joni has fought hard to cut the pork in Iowa, which she will tell you is just second nature, having been raised on a farm and handled pigs most of her life.

If elected to the U.S. Senate, Joni will continue to fight with me to help restore and protect the American dream for future generations, Rubio continued. This is the first time Reclaim America has every endorsed a candidate in a competitive primary, but I believe this is a very unique occasion. Although there are other good candidates running, it is clear that Joni is not only the kind of small-government conservative we need in Washington, shes exactly the kind of no-nonsense candidate we need to turn a blue state red and pick up a critical senate seat.

On top of being a true conservative that will fight for real change every day, Joni is aiming to make history, Rubio added. If elected, Joni will not only be the first female senator from the state of Iowa, but also the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate.