Donald Trump is trying to pour cold water all over Marco Rubio’s sudden rise.
In an interview with Bloomberg Politics Monday, Trump called the Florida senator “overrated” and overly ambitious politically. He also called out Rubio’s missed votes, echoing Jeb Bush’s attack in last Thursday’s debate.
“I think he’s highly overrated,” Trump told hosts Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. “I think he’s an overrated person, I don’t think he’s going to make it.”
“He’s nowhere in the polls,” Trump said of Rubio, who climbed to 13 percent in a recent New Hampshire poll, three times his September numbers. “Personally, I don’t think he’s going to make it. You know, I called him a lightweight. I said at one point he was a lightweight, and I don’t mean to be insulting, but I do describe in somehow well.”
Trump said such candidates will be unable to negotiate effectively with the Chinese. He also hit Rubio for flip-flopping on the Gang of Eight.
“He is totally driven by what the public thinks,” Trump said. “I think he’s not — look, Bush got creamed in the debate. If I were the messenger — because the message is great. [Bush’s] delivery was poor. But the message is great — Marco doesn’t show up to votes. He doesn’t do things that you’re supposed to do.”
The GOP front-runner went on to say that Rubio needs to “relax” and “take it easy,” pointing to Rubio’s rapid climb up the ladder from the Florida legislature to speaker of the House and, ultimately, to the U.S. Senate over 15 years.
“I think he’s a highly overrated person. I’ve called him a lightweight, I think he’s a lightweight. I hope I’m wrong about that,” Trump said. “You know why he has a chance? Because guys like you.”
Trump proceeded to rip into a panelist on “Morning Joe” on Monday morning for “fawning” over Rubio and saying “how handsome he is,” adding “I think I’m better looking than he is. Am I better looking than him?” This appeared to be a reference to a column by The Daily Caller’s Matt Lewis, who called Rubio and newly-minted Speaker of the House Paul Ryan “boyishly handsome.”
With eight days until the next debate, which will be hosted by Fox Business Network, Trump continues to hold onto his lead in national polls and in New Hampshire. According to the latest RealClearPolitics average, Trump leads with 27 percent support nationally and 29 percent in the Granite State. Meanwhile Rubio sits third in both, with 10 percent.
