Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is teeing up his effort with social conservatives Tuesday with a new ad going up in Iowa and New Hampshire pushing for “traditional values.”
Speaking directly to the camera, Rubio pushes against those in America who label those holding “traditional values” as “bigots and haters.”
“This election is about the essence of America. About all of us who feel out of place in our own country, a government incredibly out of touch, and millions with traditional values branded bigots and haters,” Rubio starts off in the ad, which is titled “About.”
The new message follows news that Sen. Ted Cruz has overtaken Donald Trump for the lead in Iowa, with only 50 days to go until the first ballots are cast there. A new Bloomberg poll shows Cruz up 10 points over Trump, and a Fox poll put Cruz up by two points.
Cruz and Rubio have spent the past few weeks back-and-forth over National Security Agency surveillance programs, immigration and national security.
Rubio also touches on other issues in the second half of the ad, particularly on foreign policy and the economy.
“This is about wages growing slower than the cost of living, a generation drowning in debt, and a president humiliated by Putin, Iran and Islamic jihadists,” Rubio continues.
“I’m Marco Rubio, I approve this message because this is about the greatest country in the world — and acting like it,” Rubio concludes.
With a little more than 24 hours until the fifth GOP debate, Rubio sits third in the latest batch of power rankings by the Washington Examiner.
