Marco Rubio sees Gavin Newsom Florida ad as 2024 play

"He’s just trying to get his name in the mix."

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio suggested Thursday a new Florida ad from California Gov. Gavin Newsom was a 2022 play with 2024 in mind.

Rubio, who is running for re-election, is a onetime (and perhaps future) candidate for the White House, and that experience seemingly informed comments about a Newsom ad buy on Fox News attacking Florida under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this week.

“That ad is probably going to be very impressive to a lot of people on the left. That’s who he’s trying to impress by doing it. He’s not aiming it at people like me,” Rubio said on the Brian Rust radio show, broadcast from Panama City.

Rubio proposed that Newsom is the first of potentially many Democrats looking to make national plays in light of the faltering leadership of incumbent President Joe Biden.

“He’s just trying to get his name in the mix. Now, he’s being mentioned as a guy; he’s being speculated about. It’s a really ironic, unprecedented situation: you have a sitting President eligible to run for re-election, and nobody, not even people in his own party, think he should, but they can’t say that yet,” Rubio said before suggesting, “But I think that’s going to get more pronounced.”

The ad inverts the DeSantis construct of the Free State of Florida.

“Freedom, it’s under attack in your state,” Newsom said. “Your Republican leaders, they’re banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors,” Newsom says, backdropped by images of DeSantis and mainstream media headlines blasting DeSantis.

“I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight. Or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom — freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate and the freedom to love,” Newsom said. “Don’t let them take your freedom.”

See the Newsom spot below.

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Material from The Associated Press was used in this post.

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8 comments

PeterH
July 7, 2022 at 4:48 pm

A competition between Newsom and DeSantis would be a vote for gun control or gun frredumb, between the sixth strongest largest economy on planet earth or the third grifter nanny State in the USA. (FYI …. for every dollar Florida contributes to the US treasury, the State grifts $4.50 in return…..Florida is the USA’s third taker state.) Per Capita California has fewer COVID deaths than Florida. California has experienced less undocumented immigration from the latest influx, Florida has accepted 140,000 illegal border crossers from Cuba in the last 9 months.
Florida gun deaths per capita 12.4 deaths per 100,000 California 7.9 deaths per 100,000.
- Jerry
  July 8, 2022 at 10:06 pm
  
  Yet… Even though California is so great….everyone is trying to move out of that far left hellhole. California’s population declined in the last census for the first time in history. They also have the country’s largest homeless population, the most gangs, out of control taxation, and a extremely high cost of living.
  
  By the way, if you love California…what are you doing living in Florida?
- Tom
  July 9, 2022 at 4:34 pm
  
  Total inane, ignorant commentary, and fake misleading facts.
  
  Florida was the Covid leader in jobs, freedom and social positivity. Cali, Newsom is a tyrannical Gov and loser state. They’ve lost population. Are you mentally ill? California burdens the state and country with illegals health care, schools and narcotics. You are the most unintelligent human on FP.
  Florida is a work state, growth opportunity jobs, employment.
  3.% unemployment. 7.8% wage growth. Model schools, vouchers for poor minorities. So much more. Florida is a highlight reel due to Gov Ron.
  Best Gov in country, youngest and whiz kid. Florida is the Mecca example. Happy quality of life, less suicides do to schools opened.
  
  Perf h, you are as ignorant as they come. Newsom, Harris, no chance.
Impeach Biden
July 7, 2022 at 9:53 pm

Kalifornia is #49 when it comes to business friendly taxation. Guess who is #50? Ah yes another Blue State New Jersey. Newsom is like Biden and the rest of the Democrats. He and the party can’t campaign on inflation, high fuel prices, crime, The Southern Border fiasco. Kalifornia for the first time in its history is losing a congressional seat due to the fact that people are leaving the state. What say you on that Newsom?
- marylou
  July 9, 2022 at 1:45 pm
  
  “business friendly taxation” is code for corporations and other businesses not paying their fair share and instead forcing tax payers to pay for the government services that businesses disproportionately benefit from.
  
  Democrats want corporations and the rich to pay taxes at rates closer to what working people pay. Republicans—who slashed corporate rates under Trump— are opposed to any increase in business and billionaires taxes, despite a majority of voters wanting the rates to be increased.
DONNA MATSON
July 12, 2022 at 11:42 pm

Newsom is a joke! High crime, taxes, homelessness, corruption, forced mandates, vaccinations, and a high rate of Covid19 deaths. Oh, and that doesn’t include the censorship, CRT, and a mass exodus from California to the Free State Of Florida!
Tom
July 15, 2022 at 10:14 pm

Donna, And all the lords people said Amen.
America’s Governor is the best!
God Bless this family, Governor, First Lady and young kids. Rising tide for all, not a few like Biden Harris,
Tjb
July 19, 2022 at 9:16 am

Is it true that Rubio wants to eliminate Social Security and Medicare and raise the taxes on the mid class family?