Florida Sen. Marco Rubio snagged another newspaper endorsement late Friday, making it his second by the state media this week.
With 11 days until the Sunshine State primary on March 15, the Orlando Sentinel endorsed the first-term senator. But the editorial doubled as a condemnation of GOP front-runner Donald Trump as the writers explained why Rubio was a better choice for president than the Manhattan business mogul.
“We recommend Florida Republicans cast their ballots for another Sunshine State leader, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. Unlike Trump, Rubio has the knowledge and judgment to be president,” the op-ed stated.
The first half of the piece is focused on Trump’s lack of qualifications for the job, while the second part explains to Floridians why they should promote the junior senator to be commander in chief.
“We don’t see eye to eye with Rubio on plenty of issues; his hardline opposition to abortion rights is just one example. But for Florida Republicans who are leery of Trump yet impatient for change, Rubio is now the best hope in the party’s 2016 field,” the editorial staff wrote.
The Sentinel bashed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, calling him “so toxic that not even one of his Senate colleagues has stepped forward to endorse him.”
The March 4 endorsement was similar to one that appeared in the Miami Herald two days earlier that also endorsed Rubio and bashed Cruz. The Herald’s announcement came less than a day after Rubio’s rough finish on Super Tuesday, when he won only one of the 11 states up for grabs.
The Sentinel’s statement Friday, in addition to the Herald’s, may help Rubio lock down undecided voters, where he is currently fighting Trump for the primary win.
