Posted on 02/20/2010 5:49:44 AM PST by IbJensen
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Declaring the 2010 congressional campaigns “a referendum on the very identity of the nation,” Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio brought the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference to its feet several times during his speech.
“People understand that if we get this wrong, there is no turning back,” Rubio said. “They want someone to stand up to the big government agenda and not be co-opted by it.”
The conservative Rubio, a former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, turned a 30-point deficit last year into an eight-point lead in polls against his Republican primary opponent moderate GOP Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, the favored candidate of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Florida primary is drawing national attention as a defining battle between conservatives and the GOP establishment.
Crist has faced tough criticism for literally embracing President Obama in early 2009 when the president traveled to Florida to promote the passage of $787 billion stimulus package. Crist was among the most prominent Republican governors to support the recovery act.
“From the tea parties to the election in Massachusetts, we are seeing the greatest political push back in American history,” Rubio said.
Rubio delivered the first speech of the three-day event.
A Tampa Bay Business Journal released a poll Tuesday of 2,024 Florida voters that found Rubio held a 46 percent lead to Crist’s 38 percent.
“A long list of early establishment endorsements will not spare you a primary,” Rubio said to loud applause.
Rubio is a first generation American born to Cuban exiles. He talked about how his blue collar working class parents shaped his political views.
“My parents never achieved wealth or influence, but their hard work opened doors for their children,” Rubio said. “They came here because leaders before us chose free enterprise.”
He hit most of the right issues for the conservative CPAC crowd, talking about cutting taxes, keeping the Guantanamo Bay prison open, fighting terrorism and controlling the debt and size of government. He also rejected the goals of the Obama administration.
“If their goal is not to fix America, but change America, then we want leaders who will be here to fight them every step of the way,” Rubio said.
He’ll have to stand up to Big Media first.
The Federal government, To Big To Succeed.
Correction:
The Federal Government, “Too Big To Succeed”.
Very refreshing.
Sounds like a great choice. Hope it works out.
When is the primary?
I don’t know when Florida’s primary is; I live in Maryland.
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