Are Florida Democrats turning their attention to Marco Rubio?
by Michael C. Bender | January 15th, 2010The Florida Democratic Party and Republican Marco Rubio have enjoyed an uneasy alliance in the past few months over a common enemy. Numerous times, Rubio and the Democrats have sent out e-mails within minutes of each other with mirror-image attacks on Republican Gov. Charlie Crist.
But today Democrats are turning their sights on Rubio, whose primary campaign against Crist been gaining momentum. By our count, it’s the first Democratic press release dedicated solely to Rubio since May 5, when Rubio formally announced his candidacy (just a few days before Crist’s own announcement).
The press release today hammers Rubio for receiving a $135,000 equity loan from a politically-connected bank. The loan came after Rubio bought a West Miami home for $550,000 in 2005 and had it valued at $735,000 a month later. The peg for the release is Rubio’s opposition to President Obama’s so-called Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee.
The aim of the White House plan is to recover projected losses from the government’s bank bailout. Rubio called it a “bank tax.”
We’ve got a feeling Rubio’s camp is giddy about the turn of events. From Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos:
“When the time comes to debate Democrats, we will have had plenty of experience highlighting the policy deficiencies they share with Charlie Crist on out-of-control stimulus spending, cap-and-trade, higher taxes and policies that trade individual freedom for more government.”
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January 15th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Hmmmmm, well the Democratic circles I hear from immeditely note that Rubio is Jeb’s boy. That stark fact alone should scare anyone. Go Charlie!
January 15th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Well, I guess you have your marching orders from the DNC! Go to it, PbPost. Smear Rubio with all your might.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Crist is Obama’s boy.
Marco is my guy.
Forget Kendrick Meeks…it just ain’t gonna happen.
BUT, I want to know where all 3 stand on haitian refugees coming to FL/USA.
We don’t have the money, can’t depend on the federal government (as we all know from past experiences), we don’t have jobs, we have one of the highest foreclosures rates in the nation.
Bringing more people into Florida will overload ALL systems in Florida, from schools to hospitals to food stamps, to housing vouchers, to unemployment, to social security, etc.
My vote hinges on these decisions.
January 15th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
It is not that I do not feel sorry for the people of Haiti, because I certainly do. The problem is Florida is stressed beyond the explosion point. No jobs available and for all intents and purposes sonce the state can’t print its own money we are bankrupt. When Carter was president we sufferred the plight of the Mariel boat lift and thousands of Haitian’s floated accross to Florida. The state was never reimbursed for all the millions we spent on welfare and medicaid and rent subsidies. Florida and especially the Orlando area can not support this influx of people when we already have thousands and thousands of homeless and starving people we can’t take care now. Officials need to remove their heads from their butts and stop playing politics at the expense of innocent lives. There must be something better available to help these people.
January 15th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Charlie Crist vs. Marco Rubio a proxy for Club for Growth vs. Tea Party?
http://bit.ly/l6KKw
January 15th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
[...] “When the time comes to debate Democrats, we will have had plenty of experience highlighting the p… [...]
January 15th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SayfieReview.com, Jennifer, PostOnPolitics.com, Charles, Michael C. Bender and others. Michael C. Bender said: Strategy shift: FlaDems have @MarcoRubio in their crosshairs http://bit.ly/5s8kea [...]
January 16th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Its not pleasant but competition makes us all better..
January 16th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
I’m a democrat. I wish Meeks had a chance, but he doesn’t, so I had to switch to a (gag) republican to be able to vote in the primary for Crist. God help us if Rubio wins. Many may not like cute boy Crist, but he is a pragmatis and moderate. Plus, if Rubio is aligned with Jeb….DUH!
January 17th, 2010 at 8:07 am
As a democrat I voted for Crist. Never again because of the off-shore drilling he ok’d. All republicans seem to be concerned with protecting their stock portfolios full of oil co. stocks at the expense of the world.