After an apparent delay in their schedule, Sen. Marco Rubio cancelled an address at the Conservative Review Convention in Greenville, S.C., Thursday night.
According to Rubio spokesman Alex Conant, the Florida senator’s schedule “got screwed up” and was “running super late.” The campaign also released a statement, saying that Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Trey Gowdy attended the event in his place.
“FYI – Because of a delay in today’s schedule, Marco is unable to make the event below tonight. Senator Tim Scott and Congressman Trey Gowdy attended to represent the campaign,” the statement said, adding that Friday’s schedule remains the same.
However, according to NBC’s Alex Jaffe, Rubio cancelled only five minutes before he was set to go on stage, right before Sen. Ted Cruz ended up taking the floor. Rubio had been set to take the stage at 8 p.m., with Carson occupying the 7 p.m. slot, and Cruz at 9 p.m.
Conservative radio host Mark Levin took a shot at Rubio when he took the stage for his keynote speech, calling him out for not showing up.
“Marco Rubio would you raise your hand?” Levin asked. “He was supposed to be here. Probably went to McDonalds.”
The Cruz campaign tore into Rubio for the no-show, saying it’s a “final admission” that Rubio is not trying to court conservatives to his campaign.
“This is a final admission that Marco Rubio isn’t even going to try to compete for the votes of conservatives in South Carolina or anywhere else,” said Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler. “And who can blame him? Rubio isn’t a conservative. Instead Rubio and his campaign would rather hide behind their deceptive campaign tactics and liberal record on amnesty for illegals and voting to nominate John Kerry.”
The other three candidates in the GOP field — Donald Trump, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — were taking part in night two of CNN’s GOP presidential town hall.
UPDATE (10:54 p.m.): Rubio spokesman Alex Conant fired back at the Cruz campaign’s statement taking aim at the Florida senator’s conservative credentials:
“Did the Cruz campaign really take a break from photoshopping pictures and recording false robocalls to send out this false press release?” Conant asked rhetorically. “This ridiculous attack is just the latest example of Ted Cruz’s willingness to do or say anything in this campaign.”
