Marco Rubio Endorses Trump Over Haley, DeSantis Right In Final Hours Before Iowa Caucus
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday endorsed Donald Trump in the Republican primary race over his own state’s governor and former ambassador Nikki Haley with only a day left until the Iowa Caucus.
Rubio, who ran against Trump in the contentious 2016 Republican primary, put his name behind Trump right before the critical Iowa vote, a move that will definitely be seen as a deliberate snub of DeSantis.
In a message posted on social media, Rubio claimed that voting for Trump is “the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster Biden has created.”
He also said that doing is necessary to “save” America.
When Trump was in WH I achieved major policies I had worked on for years (like expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regime in Cuba & Venezuela) because we had a President who didn’t cave to special interests or let bureaucrats block us.
I support Trump because that…
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 14, 2024
Aside from an intent to snub DeSantis, it’s not immediately clear why Rubio chose to endorse Trump now rather than waiting a day for the caucus vote, but political observers have made observations about it.
A second Trump term, even if one materializes, will do none of this sort of thing, nor will it employ people interested in doing so. If Trump had been president in 2010, he'd have prevented you from ever being nominated for the Senate. https://t.co/eBVuz9pRKR
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) January 14, 2024
Fundamental difference between DC politicians endorsing Trump & state-level politicians endorsing DeSantis or Haley is that the former have internalized the idea that Biden getting re-elected is good for business, so no downside in helping him win.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) January 14, 2024
DeSantis was on ABC’s This Week on Sunday and said that Trump has created a party where kissing his ring and vocally supporting him is the only way to be in “good standing” and if you’re a conservative getting the job done who does not kiss Trump’s ring, then “somehow” you’re “bad” or “a RINO.”
Rubio vocally supported Trump just a short time later and presumably is considered “in good standing” by Trump.
Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy continues to vocally support Trump even while running against him, despite Trump on Saturday designating him bad and “not MAGA,” too.
