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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

We Helped Him Start His Campaign. Let’s Help Him Finish It.

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 26th, 2010 at 11:14 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

It was March 19, 2009. I got on the front page of RedState and said Marco Rubio was my choice to be Senator in Florida and we should not be going all in with a guy like Charlie Crist.

Rubio was at 4% in the polls.

Everybody laughed and thought I was crazy. He who laughs last . . .

We helped Marco Rubio start his campaign. Now let’s help Marco Rubio finish it. Watch this then consider a closing gift for a job well done.

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COMMENTS

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  • http://wadingacross.wordpress.com logus

    Of not placing pragmatism before principles. You took a person who was unknown and had effectively zero chance of winning, and you made him electable because of principles. Am I correct?

    Christine O’Donnell is a similar example. The conservatives of Delaware decided that principle was more important than pragmatism – Castle no doubt could easily be defeating Coons – even if it means “defeat”.

    The opposite has occured in Missouri with Roy Blunt. Money, names and back-patting have run the Republican process the whole way thru.

  • Robert Allen Leeper

    He’s the most impressive conservative I’ve seen since – Gingrich? (very impressive in many ways, but with flaws) or Reagan?

  • chihank

    Huckabee was one of the few national figures to back Rubio when Crist was up by 20 points. Of course, Rubio did endorse Huckabee fro President in 2008. It was a matter of huckabee returining the favor. Now that Rubio is a rising national star, Huckabee is taking for Rubio’s rise.

  • smitch61

    To the point, presented with the facts, and straight talk. It is too bad more republicans were not doing this. I wish I had the pleasure of pulling the lever for Marco. I do however feel good about myself for donating to his campaign. Thank you for letting us know about Marco many months ago.

  • zipbags

    Is that an internet only ad? Or is it running on tv?

  • jakob29

    bad on O’Donnell. Look I would vote for her if I could, but it is pretty clear that the majority of Delaware will not.

  • jakob29

    bad on O’Donnell. Look I would vote for her if I could, but it is pretty clear that the majority of Delaware will not.

  • fpete13527

    I’m sending more to Marco now, phoning this afternoon, and putting out another 10 signs for him today.

    Much due to RedState, Marco will win, and so will Scott, West, Bondi and other Conservative Republicans.

    It’s time to rid Florida of a Socialist Gov (Crist) and his Obama driven, DemComm agenda to destroy Florida.

    It is time for Florida to be the best again and I am clear that it will be.

    Go Marco, go Florida.

  • Oz

    The dude is up 14 points … take the money you were going to give to Rubio and give it to Scott so he can pile on Sink’s mistake last night.

  • Darin_H

    Not only do I get to vote to elect a superstar in the making in Rubio, but I get to shovel dirt on the casket of Charlie Crist’s political career.

    Hey Charlie, Told ya! The only winning move was not to play.

  • texasgalt

    and what a great finishing ad for Rubio.

    I can see the future from the front page of RedState.

  • tjpeco

    And I can definitely seem him rising to the top of the political landscape as CIC.

  • mriggio

    I will be watching Senator Rubio carefully; he may change my inclination to prefer Governors over Senators as Presidential candidates…..

  • expatuae

    Great call. I loved Rand Paul, my only challenger choice. But I am a Paultard from back when I was in America. As we were called before they called us Teabaggers.

    Good luck to all. I am on the other side of the world, but voting straight Republican and hoping for a big victory!

  • uselogic

    I have. Marco is awesome. Reminds me a bit of a young Jeb Bush… and I mean that in the best way. But the local Florida papers are spinning their news coverage of the debate hard in Sink’s favor. He needs a much help as we can muster.

  • constitutionalconservative

    I think Rubio has Reagan’s charisma, but with even higher political potential. He’ll have to show he can take a hard punch to realize that potential, but the sky is the limit for him. He has certainly been great if this campaign.

    If Jim DeMint had done nothing else other than brought us this guy, he would have more than justified all of his efforts.

  • smitch61

    This cannot possibly be true?..

    http://dailycaller.com/

  • Darin_H

    I doubt it’s true, but if it is, the ballots have already been printed, Meek, Crist and Rubio will all be on it. Also, Rubio has been close enough to 50% for long enough.

  • smitch61

    Thanks for the uplift.

  • heir2freedom

    Listening to either speak reminds me of the best voice of conservatism since Abraham Lincoln — that of Ronald Reagan’s.

    Many consider both “extreme” for their relentless adherence to the Founders’ philosophy for America, but theirs is the anecdote to the Progressive’s poisonous agenda.

    I hope the Hispanic bloc of voters sit up and take notice of Mr. Rubio, a stand-up conservative who embraces individual freedoms, personal property and limited representative government.

    NEW POST:

    ?This needs to go worldwide? ? Lynn B.

    ANALYSIS: JUAN WILLIAMS WAS LYNCHED BY NPR FOR NOT BEING ?BLACK ENOUGH? (warning: controversial photo)
    http://heir2freedom.blogspot.com/2010/10/analysis-juan-williams-lynched-by-npr_25.html

  • WY_Cowboy

    give any credit to Jeb Bush. Certainly Jeb Bush was a big help for Rubio early on.

    Of course the guy who deserves most of the credit is the candidate himself. That’s why he is poised for a big, big future.

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    …what, if anything, Charlie Crist had to match this:

    Guess we got an answer, huh?

  • congressworksforus

    (nt)

  • Dave_in_Fla

    I am so proud that I get to vote for this man next Tuesday.

  • Dave_in_Fla

    http://www.redstate.com/dave_in_fla/2009/08/08/redstate-gathering-video-marco-rubio/

    The amazing thing to me is how consistent he is in his message, that is a sign that these are core values for him.

  • http://www.erickerickson.org Erick Erickson

    n/t

  • Vegas_Rick

    to be one of the voters who will send Harry Reid packing, I am very envious of those of you who can vote for this man. He’s what we need and we need many more like him.

    And, Erick… Good on ya!

  • Mike

    A friend tells me he got a look at the official ballots today, and Crist is at the bottom of the list — and the list is about eight candidates long.

    Rubio is at the top, followed by Meek.

    Charlie’s screwed — nobody’s gonna read all the way down that list to find him. He’s toast, and so is Meek.

  • Mike

    And depending on what happens in 2012, maybe not 2016 either.

    But I want him to run. Someone who reads this has got to have a line to him somewhere, and whoever you are, tell him this on election night:

    You must be as pure as Caesar’s wife. You didn’t get the long knives this time around, because two statists split the chances of anyone laying a finger on you. But they won’t make that mistake the next time. So don’t give them anything, not a single, solitary thing to run on. No daylight, Senator. Do what’s right, and you’ll go as high as you want to go.

    On that note, let me just say that it’s about time I found a person worthy of my vote. I hope he lives up to it.

  • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou

    J’accuse!: My Cousin Got Caught Cheating At the FL Governor’s Debate

    http://www.practicalstate.com/?p=3025

    Cheers

  • eburke

    All you get are the Charlie Crist’s and Mike Castle’s…and a Republican party that lost its way.

  • eburke

    Surely you jest.

  • GregInFla

    on major TV on Monday night here in Florida. Please help us.

  • GregInFla
  • GregInFla

    He’ll be in Melbourne Friday at noon. I am hoping for a big crowd. It’ll make a good lunch hour.

    NOTE: Someone called Rush today and noted that when he early-voted, the first ballot had Crist’s circle (we fill in circles like standardized test forms) darker than the rest. He returned the ballot and got another. So, Floridians, please look down at Crist’s circle and make sure it’s not darker, or else your vote will be tossed out.

  • Rod_Patrick

    I miss my RS favorites.

  • napensnake

    I will let you take the credit for the vote I cast for Rubio. It all counts the same, after all. It was an easy decision. The other choices were Charlie “the Cheeto” Crist who never saw a policy he wouldn’t waffle on, or Kendrick Meek who loves to spend other people’s money in order to buy his votes.

  • napensnake

    You mean the newspapers that have endorsed Sink are spending their ink claiming she won? Did I mention the newspapers endorsed Sink? Sink certainly mentioned it didn’t she? Interesting. I have read most of the newspapers in Florida at one time or another and there isn’t one of them that I would put in my bird cage without reading and filtering first. Exposing an animal to the tripe that passes for news in those papers would be considered cruelty in a just society. By the way, in case you didn’t notice, the newspapers have endorsed Sink.

  • davesinsanantonio

    squishy RINOs. We need more principled conservatives to stand for office and get elected. We should never again support go-along-to-get-along squishes when there are people of integrity like Rubio in ever state and district.

  • davesinsanantonio

    state in the Union. They are out there, we must find them and support them.

  • soljerblue

    I was impressed from the start by this man’s life story. What could be more American than his rise? My kids and grand kids live in FL, and I donated to Marco, and promoted his stuff to my personal email list, because of them. I have his bumper sticker on my shooting gear when I go to the range, and have talked him up to shooting buddies there. If he gets to the Senate — I’m still not getting ahead of next Tuesday — I hope he remembers the principles, and the people who got him there.

  • http://xmmlbchat.blogspot.com katesmith

    Publisher Outzen of Pensacola Independent News on Batchelor show again tonight. Said if Marco Rubio wins it will definitely mean Jeb Bush running for president in 2012. Said Jeb Bush was behind the scenes in this all the way, mentioned Karl Rove also. Said the Rubio campaign was a way for this group “to keep all their players in place” and they put money in too. Nice to know Marco was a vehicle to keep an embarrassing bunch of has-beens in power.

  • proudmarinemom

    Rubio will have served in the Senate only about 22 months and would have to begin campaigning immediately after arriving in Washington. He strikes me as a man who knows why he is being sent there, and it is not to campaign all year long.

    Bob McDonnell has already begun proving himself to be a principled conservative here in Virginia. Whether 2012 is too soon for him is debatable, but he is a quick, competent study.

    McDonnell-Rubio?

  • proudmarinemom

    Rubio will have served in the Senate only about 22 months and would have to begin campaigning immediately after arriving in Washington. He strikes me as a man who knows why he is being sent there, and it is not to campaign all year long.

    Bob McDonnell has already begun proving himself to be a principled conservative here in Virginia. Whether 2012 is too soon for him is debatable, but he is a quick, competent study.

    McDonnell-Rubio?

  • http://xmmlbchat.blogspot.com katesmith

    A lot has been written about Marco’s future as well, but this guy was only talking about Jeb Bush being responsible if Rubio wins and then capitalizing on it.