Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
A new advertisement from a super PAC supporting Jeb Bush is criticizing fellow Floridian Marco Rubio for missing national security hearings and votes.
“Over the last three years, Rubio has missed important national security hearings and missed more total votes than another senator. Politics first, that’s the Rubio way,” says the 30-second ad from Right to Rise USA.
The advertisement will begin airing in Iowa this week, according to The Des Moines Register.
Recent national polls show Rubio is in third place, behind Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz. Bush is in sixth place, according to polling aggregation site RealClearPolitics.
Rubio has taken hits in the past about his absences, but has defended them. In an interview earlier this month with CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” he said, “When there are important votes, especially those where I can be a decisive voice, I’m going to be there.”
Alex Conant, a Rubio campaign spokesman, told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday that the advertisement didn’t mention Rubio’s position on the Senate intelligence committee, where he attended high level briefings on the Paris attacks. He also took to Twitter to criticize the ad.
Rubio attends classified Senate Intel Committee briefing on Paris attack. Bush’s PAC attacks him for missing Paris hearing anyways.
— Alex Conant (@AlexConant) Dec. 29, 2015
DNC used same attack last month; media called it “cheap hit” https://t.co/wNHwAchf3I
— Alex Conant (@AlexConant) Dec. 29, 2015
On Tuesday, Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republican and member of the House intelligence committee, called the advertisement “misleading and (reflecting) a deep misunderstanding of Marco’s critically important record working to keep Americans safe.”
“I’m proud to stand with Marco – he will be an outstanding commander-in-chief. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee and a veteran, there is no doubt that Marco has shown great national security leadership in the Senate,” Pompeo said in a prepared statement.
Rubio is campaigning in Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday. He’ll be joined by Rep. Trey Gowdy.
Bush is spending Tuesday in New Hampshire. He is expected to campaign in South Carolina on Wednesday.
