Looking to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in the U.S. Senate in 2016, U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., made his case to Florida Republicans at the Republican Party of Florida’s (RPOF) Sunshine Summit in Orlando on Friday.
Jolly slammed President Barack Obama’s fiscal policies and the expanding deficit and national debt but also insisted there was a “deficit of trust” with politics. Taking aim at Obama’s record, including his federal health-care law, Jolly insisted he and “liberal Democrats” were undermining personal liberty and making the nation weaker.
Looking ahead to 2016, Jolly slammed two of the Democratic presidential hopefuls and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., who is running for that party’s Senate nomination in 2016.
“These candidates--Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Alan Grayson--stand in the way of our freedom,” Jolly said.
The Pinellas County congressman labeled himself a conservative but also one who would be able to govern responsibly. Jolly pointed to his record of trying to help veterans, giving them more choices on health-care and other matters as proof of this and contrasted that with Grayson and the other Democrats.
Turning to foreign policy, Jolly tore into Obama’s handling of international issues and called for a “strong foreign policy” and being strong with China, Russia and in the Middle East. Turning to immigration, Jolly called for controlling the border and showcased his efforts against Obama’s executive action on immigration, insisting it was “amnesty.”
Jolly spoke between Rubio and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and joked about being stuck between those two presidential hopefuls.
Three other Senate candidates--U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and businessman Todd Wilcox--are scheduled to speak later in the Sunshine Summit. Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and conservative leader Dan Bongino have opened the door to entering the Republican Senate primary.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
