U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is turning his eyes to New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary. Rubio has left the door open to running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
On Thursday, Rubio -- through his Reclaim America PAC -- emailed supporters, urging them to back former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., who is running against U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
My good friend and former colleague Scott Brown is locked in a neck-and-neck race for the United States Senate in New Hampshire, Rubio wrote. A recent poll shows he just pulled ahead of incumbent Jeanne Shaheen. This is huge because it means we could actually take back the United States Senate this November.
Winning this seat is vital for Republicans to flip the Senate and end President Obamas free ride, Rubio added. The only thing worse than not winning majority control of the Senate would be knowing that we didnt do everything we could to win. In New Hampshire we have a proven Republican leader working tirelessly, overcoming the odds, and beating a well-funded incumbent, but he cannot do it alone. He needs our help to finish strong and win.
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 Hahmpshire to run against Shaheen. Like Rubio, Brown has left the door open to a presidential bid in 2016.
On Thursday, Rubio looked to reassure conservatives that Brown was worthy of their support.
Scott Brown shares our limited government and free-enterprise values and will stand up to President Obama and fight alongside me to protect the American dream, Rubio insisted. With so many serious issues facing our country -- from the ongoing disaster of Obamacare at home to the threat of ISIL abroad -- we need strong, courageous leaders in the Senate not rubber stamps. We need Scott Brown to take back the Senate in November!
This marks the second time this week Rubio dabbled in New Hampshire politics. On Wednesday, reports emerged that Rubio will be heading to New Hampshire next month 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
