Sen. Marco Rubio has a new campaign slogan: Donald Trump is a con artist.
One day after opening the new line of attack against the billionaire candidate, Rubio continued to urge voters to ignore the “massive fraud” that Trump is perpetuating.
“I make this promise to you today. I will do whatever it takes, I will campaign as long as it takes, I will stay in the race as long as it takes,” Rubio told a crowd in Kennesaw, Ga., on Saturday. “Donald Trump, a con artist, will never get control of this party.”
Rubio hopes to make his fight with Trump for the Republican nomination a two-man race. The senator appears to have decided that a sustained attack on his rival can shake up Trump’s ability to dominate media coverage via controversial statements.
Rubio’s strategy means throwing lots of one-liners at the front-runner.
“Friends don’t let friends vote for con artists,” Rubio said.
A con artist “identifies people who are struggling and convinces you that they have something that will turn that around,” Rubio said before listing off Trump’s unsuccessful investments in hotels and casinos.
“How do you bankrupt a casino? The house always wins,” Rubio quipped.
Along with slamming Trump for being the only Republican candidate to have hired illegal immigrants, Rubio also criticized “Trump University,” which he said was “not even a school” but instead a “thing.” The failed real estate investment school is now the subject of three separate lawsuits.
“He is not some great businessman,” Rubio said, warning the stakes now are “not just a fake degree.”
“The Democrats attack me more than anyone in this race because they know that if I’m nominated we will win,” Rubio said. “But they’re holding back and they know that if we nominate Donald Trump they are going to win. And they just can’t wait to shred him, and they will,”
Rubio also mocked Trump’s appearance. Trump flies around while tweeting on “Hair Force One,” Rubio said.
The senator said he is amazed that the guy with “the worst spray tan in America” attacked him for wearing makeup on television. Trump tweeted out a picture of Rubio’s face being touched up behind the scenes at Thursday’s debate, with the caption, “Never let them see you sweat!”
“Donald Trump likes to sue people,” Rubio said. “He should sue whoever did that to his face.”
Rubio, suggesting the media is working to help Democrats, said reporters are “licking their chops,” waiting for Trump to be the nominee so they can “tear him to shreds.”
