With speculation growing that he will aim for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, the Florida senator announced Tuesday that his Reclaim America PAC endorsed former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., who is running in New Hampshire against U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Im proud to announce that Scott Brown is my Reclaim America PACs newest endorsement for the United States Senate in 2014, Rubio wrote supporters on Tuesday. Scott is running for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire and is under attack by national Democrats with virtually unlimited funds. They are sinking everything they have into this race because it is a must-win for them. But, Scott is the kind of candidate that can win in a tough race like this -- just like he proved in 2010.
I had the pleasure of working closely with Scott Brown for two years in the Senate and came to trust him and know him as a strong independent thinker, Rubio added. Scotts 35 years of military service in the National Guard gives him unique perspective on the national security challenges America faces in the 21st century and knows what it takes to protect America.
Rubio and Brown quickly drew fire from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) who labeled them the duo that just cant seem to get anything right on Tuesday.
From immigration reform, to their anti-choice records, to just not showing up for work, Scott Brown and Marco Rubio are members of a gang that cant shoot straight, the DNC emailed the media on Tuesday. And people are noticing.
The DNC pointed to a quote from U.S. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., billing the South Carolina senator as a onetime ally of Rubio and noted that he questioned the Florida Republicans experience. The DNC also turned their fire to Brown for attacking Sen. Shaheens foreign policy record while utterly refusing or just failing to articulate his own foreign policy views.
When Rubio and Brown hold their event today, one thing will be abundantly clear theyre both not ready for prime time and theyre not ready to lead, the DNC insisted.
After winning a special election in 2010 for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant after longtime U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., died, Brown became a favorite of the tea party movement. But conservatives started grumbling about Browns record in Washington. Brown lost to Democrat Elizabeth Warren in 2012 and, after much speculation, moved to New Hampshire to run against Shaheen. Like Rubio, Brown has left the door open to a presidential bid in 2016.
Rubio is growing increasingly busy in New Hampshire. At the end of last month, reports emerged that Rubio will be heading to New Hampshire toward the end of October to help Republican candidate Marilinda Garcia as she looks to take down U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H. Rubio will head up to the Granite State on Oct. 23 for an event with Garcia in Amherst, N.H.
Rubio was in New Hampshire back in May to speak at a fundraiser for the state GOP and attend an event for the Rockingham County Republican Committee. During that same New England swing, Rubio held a fundraiser in Boston, Mass., for U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., who faces the voters in 2016. Last year, Rubio ran TV ads in New Hampshire praising Ayotte for standing against gun-control efforts.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
