Ryan Ray
In an email fundraising appeal to supporters on Super Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio apologized for his recent antics attacking GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, but remained firm in his stance that Trump is unserious and unfit for the nation’s highest office.
“The media being what it is, most of my back-and-forth with Donald Trump that’s gotten attention this week is the light-hearted stuff. Believe me — I really never expected to be talking about spray tans while running for President,” said Rubio in an email with the subject line “Donald isn’t a joke.”
“But there is a much, much more important issue at hand here: Donald Trump is a serious threat to the future of our party, and our country. I, like you probably, hoped and believed that our fellow Americans would see his cons for what they are, that slogans, celebrity, and tough-talking insults are not enough,” Rubio continued.
“But here’s the truth: Americans are scared and angry. And in far too many cases, Donald Trump has been preying on their fears and their insecurities, successfully.”
The remaining half of Florida’s “Jebio” team of more establishment-friendly presidential contenders has been going at Trump ruthlessly in recent days, after calling Trump “a con artist” at the most recent Republican primary debate in Houston.
After months of demurring in the face of Trump’s vicious barrage of personal attacks, Rubio has taken of late to pointing out Trump’s business bankruptcies, advanced age, and even his reportedly small hands in a jocular, crowd-pleasing spirit.
But that doesn’t mean the prospect of a Trump presidency should be taken lightly, wrote Rubio.
“We cannot allow Donald Trump to hijack the conservative movement and the party of Reagan. We cannot allow this country to turn away from the conservative principles that make us great,” read the email. “America was built on ideas — equality of opportunity, freedom of speech, the rule of law — that Donald Trump’s campaign has been tearing down, mocking or abusing. Truth is, we have to stop him — not just for our party, but for our country.”
