Grab your roll of Duct tape and strap in for this one: President Donald J. Trump released a Friday endorsement that left many America First, MAGA Republicans scratching their heads. On Friday, President Trump gave his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Take a second to let that marinade.
Trump wrote,
“It is my honor to give U.S. Senator Marco Rubio my Complete and Total Endorsement. Marco has been a tireless advocate for the people of Florida, fighting to cut taxes, supporting our Second Amendment, our Military and our Vets, a strong national defense, and all of the forgotten men and women of America.
Marco worked with me to reform the VA and help our small businesses grow, and with his help, we achieved the lowest ever unemployment for women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and almost all Americans. Together, we worked closely with the Cuban and Venezuelan communities, and have made great progress.
He also ruled that “President Trump was in no way involved with Russia,” as he presided over the Senate Intelligence Committee on the FAKE Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax. Marco will never let the great people of Florida, or our Country, down!”
Wait. What?!? Trump Gave An Endorsement to ‘Little Marco’?
We know it took us a second too, but consider the strategy. Marco Rubio, like Ted Cruz found himself victim to many of President Trump’s barbs over the last six years. However, a key differentiator is that trips to Cancun aside, Cruz is much more ideologically consistent with the GOP’s base, Rubio is not. Senator Rubio has proven himself to be at best a “moderate” Republican who plays to his mixed base in the Miami-Dade region. Most recently his introduction of SB7 a “red-flag” gun confiscation initiative has severely alienated Rubio from the Conservative GOP base.
President Trump has never been known for his ideological purity however, he infamously supported bump-stock bans and vocally supported “red-flag” confiscations as well. So when held up against the idealized image that many have of President Trump, the endorsement of Rubio is jarring and confusing.
But when you consider that Trump for good or ill has always been a populist, a pragmatist and above all the author of “The Art of The Deal” you quickly realize that he will broaden the GOP tent beyond what the most conservative, stridently Constitutionalist among the party will be comfortable with. Trump is not afraid to embrace more moderate politicians in the interests of forwarding his ultimate goal: America First.
Wayne Dupree wrote,
“Rubio has not been a favorite of the MAGA crowd, so it will be interesting to see how they deal with this news. Rubio lit fires and has not been 100 percent on board with everything that Trump wanted to do, but then again, most MAGA supporters don’t understand Pres. Trump anyway.
The former president respects those who disagree with him but have solutions that work. He does enjoy those who worship him, but he respects those who keep him honest, and I really admire that.”
Loyalty also speaks volumes for Trump, and Rubio sided with him on January 6th joining in the objections to the Electoral College votes. It is a loyalty that he seems to be returning despite the cost of confusing or angering Second Amendment advocates among his supporters. Hey, at least he’s willing to challenge #WokeCorporateHypocrites for supporting China despite their Genocide against the Uighur people while condemning Georgia for election integrity legislation.
#WokeCorporateHypocrites pic.twitter.com/ZHFTias5pg
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) April 1, 2021
Rubio responded to Trump’s endorsement with gratitude on Friday,
“I am grateful for President Trump’s endorsement and his leadership on the major issues facing our nation, including the threat from China and the need to bring good jobs back to America,” Rubio said in a statement Friday following Trump’s endorsement.
“Democrats are trying to undo everything we accomplished over the past four years, but I will continue to fight for the forgotten men and women of this country and deliver results for hard-working Florida families,” he added according to Breitbart.
Clearly both Trump and Rubio realize that despite their differences, their true mutual opponent, as is true with all Patriotic Americans, is the Democrat-Socialist gestalt that thrust the Biden-Harris regime upon our nation. They, and we on the right as a whole, can settle our other issues later. Trump is playing long-ball here, and that’s the right move. But we still don’t have to like “Little Marco”.