Rubio raises profile with new political organization
Washington (CNN) - Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is launching a political action committee called "Reclaim America," the latest in a series of steps designed to boost his national profile and tap into his growing star power within the Republican Party.
The goal of the organization, according to a fundraising email that will be sent to potential donors around the country, is to elect "true conservatives…Republicans who will stand up to Obama, instead of with him."
And according to his political advisers, that means potentially taking sides in contested Republican Senate primaries nationwide.
"Marco's one and only goal for Reclaim America is to help build a lasting conservative majority in the Senate," Rubio adviser Todd Harris told CNN. "We're not ruling out getting involved in primaries, but our main focus will be electing Republicans and defeating Democrats in the general election."
Harris said there are no plans to challenge incumbent Republicans.
A website for the committee went live Wednesday with a video featuring Rubio explaining the stakes of the 2012 elections.
Sweeping GOP victories in last year's midterm races gave the party reason to celebrate and a mandate to curb government spending, he says in the video, "but as recent events and the debate in Washington about the debt limit remind us, we haven't come far enough."
"The United States Senate is still in the hands of Democratic leaders who don't fully believe in the American enterprise system and don't take seriously the enormous risks that our national debt places on our country and its future," he says.
Rubio advisers told CNN the legal groundwork for the PAC was patterned after Sen. Jim DeMint's "Senate Conservatives Fund," which took sides in several contested Senate primaries during the 2010 cycle, much to the frustration of Senate GOP leaders.
Unlike the traditional leadership PACs used by most politicians at the federal level, the DeMint and Rubio PACs are able to dole out larger, bundled contributions to Republican candidates. They can also run independent expenditure campaigns in support of a candidate.
Though he denies having ambitions beyond the Senate, Rubio can also use the PAC to finance his own political activity and travel the country introducing himself to voters outside of Florida should he one day embark on a national campaign.
Rubio hints that the PAC might be used to elect a Republican to the White House, vowing to support candidates "who want to come here and serve in the House and the Senate or maybe even in the White House to make a difference for America's future."
Paperwork for the committee was filed last week with the Federal Election Commission.
The PAC will be managed by the team of political consultants and media strategists who advised Rubio during his high-profile Senate campaign last year: Harris, Terry Sullivan, Mallorie Miller and Heath Thompson.
Longtime Rubio confidante Julio Rebull will also be involved.
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Rubio does not have one original thought in his head. When he opens his mouth, a pre recorded tape spews out the canned rhetoric that he has been pre programmed with.
Just what we need; one more group who refuses to work with the other party. Sounds to me what they're really after is a one party system. How pathetic! An old saying comes to mind, "if we don't learn from history, we're bound to repeat it." It seems to me this is the path we are on.
He's awesome; Just what America needs!
Rubio's got to be kidding himself-stand up with true Republicans INSTEAD OF STANDINT WITH OBAMA??? Ha ha ha-this guy is off his rocker, and at least he's not afraid to show it! Ha ha ha ha. This is rich!
Why does this guy always look as if he needs a bath? I can't listen to anything he says for looking at his outer appearance. Floridians really know how to pick them. Glad I don't live there anymore.
Mr Flip Flop himself is a disgrace to Florida! Another one that loves to hear himself talk. He should be recalled right along with Gov Rick Scott. They are BOTH doing everything they can to destroy Florida.
Another young moron. But, I like the idea of splitting the republican party. I guess we can call the republicans of old "Red Dog" Republicans and the new bunch T-baggers!
When are he, Perry, and Marcus coming out of that closet?
"Reclaim America from the Black President" is what he means. The majority are sick of all these idiots with their "Take Back America" type PAC's that are just a tax write off and a licence to lie,steal and cheat. Signing pledges and refusing to compromise is all Republicans do anymore, they do NOT work for the people, they are all about their party first,pledge second, country dead last.Just say no to voting for anyone that signs a pledge to their sponsers before working for the people
The same Marco Rubio? That Talks Big but Fails to Deliver?
Before the March 2000 session, Rubio was hardly the scorching conservative who would later woo Tea Partiers nationwide. He said he'd focus on supporting early education and community policing. And he wasn't particularly passionate about cutting spending. In his first three years, he supported adding a $4 surcharge to cruise tickets to fund a Marlins stadium and a $1.2 million earmark to build new bike paths in his district
spent thousands with GOP credit card
Marco Rubio was facing foreclosure on a Tallahassee house after missing five months of mortgage payments, according to a lawsuit filed in Leon County Circuit Court.
Yeah, because destroying the country to protect your narrow minded, out of step ideaology is just what America needs right now. BTW thanks for wrecking the economy anyway. Get rid of these whiny little crybabies and their tea party and lets get back to fixing this country.
Please – this guy is going no where. Wasnt he on Sharon Angle's TV commercial about illegal aliens, he looks like the one that was jumping over the fence.
The goal of the organization, according to a fundraising email that will be sent to potential donors around the country, is to elect "true conservatives…Republicans who will stand up to Obama, instead of with him."
...because we've seen how well bullheaded all-or-nothing resistance makes Americans' lives better...
This foolessnes has got to stop, They are wasting our time, please media stop covering these fools.
We are in big trouble and all we here is everyone want to attach our president. we heard your point now do what
we pay you for. Everyone pays your salary not just the repub. Get over your hate and do you JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.