DES MOINES — Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, introduced Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio at a campaign stop Monday as the Florida senator tries to conjure up momentum with only a week until the Iowa caucus.
Fresh off weekend endorsements from The Des Moines Register and the Sioux City Journal, Rubio nabbed Ernst to introduce him before a crowd of 250 with her holding to her promise not to endorse any candidate before next Monday.
During a five-minute address, Ernst made her feelings known for the Florida senator, who endorsed her during a five-way primary fight two years ago by specifically touting his depth of knowledge on foreign policy, adding that Rubio is someone “very near and dear” to her heart.
“I have said I’m not going to endorse in this race, and that is a promise I’m going to keep to Iowa. So I’m not endorsing, but I do want to introduce and welcome as many folks to the state of Iowa as possible,” Ernst said before introducing Rubio.
“This world is a very dangerous place, and we need someone that will show complete honesty about the threats to our nation and our security,” Ernst said before bashing President Obama’s plan to deal with the Islamic State. “I want a president … someone that won’t just contain ISIS or degrade ISIS. I want want someone that will destroy ISIS.”
After the event, Rubio told reporters that despite her vow to not endorse, he was glad to have her on the trail, along with others that have gone ahead and endorsed him over the past few months, including Rep. Trey Gowdy and Sen. Cory Gardner.
“Joni in so many ways exemplifies what I hope the Republican Party and conservative movement will be about — a party of upward mobility, of empowering people that don’t start out in life with a lot of money and a lot of advantages, but through free enterprise and limited government are able to improve their lives and the lives of their families,” Rubio said. “So I’m just grateful she was here today and introduced us, and talked about an issue both of us care deeply about, and that’s national security.”
Ernst’s introduction comes only two days after Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longtime Iowa political figure, did the same for Donald Trump in Pella. Grassley is also set to introduce Sen. Ted Cruz during a Friday event in Vinton, as well as Rubio at an event on Saturday.
According to National Review, one other 2016 campaign is trying to schedule an event with Ernst, who did not speak to reporters after the event.
Rubio currently trails both Trump and Cruz in the Hawkeye state, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average, with him solidly holding onto third place with over 12 percent support.
