The campaign trail fight between rival Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas grew as vitriolic as ever this weekend. The two presidential candidates traded blows as they zigzagged through western Iowa in search of enough rural voters to ensure a strong showing at Monday’s caucus.
A recent Cruz ad calling Rubio the “Republican Obama” fueled a new spat that boiled over on Saturday.
Rubio largely adhered to contrasting himself with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, with the notable exception being his criticism of Cruz. Rubio said Cruz chose to run a “very deceitful campaign” and described attacks on Rubio’s candidacy as unfortunate.
When a questioner in Council Bluffs asked about the attacks on Rubio, the senator shot down the ad’s claims and used his answer to tout his electability in a general election.
“I can tell you this — we are not going to beat Hillary Clinton with a candidate who’s willing to say or do anything, including things that are untrue,” Rubio said of Cruz. “Because the American people will see through that and they’ll vote against us and then we’ll lose. And if we lose, that means she wins. And that will be a disaster for America.”
Cruz, in turn, slammed Rubio in remarks to reporters before an event in Sioux Falls on Saturday night, but did not speak ill of the Florida senator in front of the Iowan crowd.
“Listen, the reason conservatives are unified behind my campaign is I am the only candidate in this race with a proven record of standing for conservative principles,” Cruz told reporters. “A vote for Marco Rubio is a vote for amnesty. And a vote for Donald Trump is a vote for Obamacare.”
Cruz continued to argue that Rubio continues to support “amnesty” in 2016, which is something Rubio told potential caucus-goers he adamantly opposes.
And Rubio’s effort to tout his electability appeared to pay off with some of the undecided voters who heard him speak on Saturday. Mark Hughes, an Iowa resident, told the Washington Examiner his final decision came down to Rubio, Trump, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
“I’d say if I had to vote right now, I’d vote for Rubio,” Hughes said. “I think Marco probably has the best chance to win.”
Cruz, meanwhile, scored the endorsement of an influential grassroots conservative organization, Tea Party Patriots, delivered via its co-founder Jenny Beth Martin. Martin said a “supermajority” of the group’s supporters favored Cruz.
“Tonight on behalf of millions of our supporters, I’m honored to announce our endorsement for a man who has the courage and trustworthiness necessary to lead our nation,” Martin said. “On behalf of Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund and our supporters, I’m proud to announce our endorsement for president of the United States — our friend, Sen. Ted Cruz.”
Cruz and Rubio will continue to cross paths in Iowa ahead of the caucus, as both have plans to stump in eastern Iowa on Sunday. Cruz ranks second in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings. Rubio ranks third.
