Elections

Rubio Attempts To Sway Iowa Voters His Way

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
Font Size:

AMES, Iowa — Florida Sen. [crscore]Marco Rubio[/crscore] addressed supporters and potential caucus goers at Iowa State University Saturday. A number of attendees were fresh from a [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] rally only a few miles away.

“I am one hundred percent with Marco Rubio now,” said Mary Nelson of Ames, who noted she was previously undecided between Cruz and Rubio until hearing the Florida senator on Saturday.

“He was so articulate, so presidential—everything he said—I’m for Rubio,” Nelson said. “My husband is a small business owner and everything he had to say about that was good. I just thought he was wonderful.”

She added: “He’s like a child. He could be my own son and he could take care of me in my old age. What he said about social security and Medicare is important to us.”

“I’m still on the fence right now but it’s probably between Marco or Ted but this was a great speech. He started out right. I’m a Iowa Christian, so when [Rubio] started out by the way he did earned a lot of points with me,” said Tim, an Iowa voter from Ames, who said that he was likely to decide before Monday night.

A woman from Ames told the Daily Caller: “I am a registered Republican and my husband and I went to a Cruz rally this morning in our hometown and we came here today, because we were still wavering back and forth not sure how we want to vote on Monday night.”

Manes Dey of Boone and his wife told TheDC that they are still deciding between Cruz and Rubio but Donald Trump is out of the question.

“For me it’s a question of who can overall unite party and defeat Hillary Clinton,” Mr. Manes said.

Marshalltown’s Doug Swenson likes Rubio’s views on immigration more than anything else.

“I am going to support Rubio. I have been back-and-forth on it for the last three weeks between Cruz and Trump and Rubio and back-and-forth back-and-forth. And in the last two or three days I decided on Rubio,” Swenson revealed.

One Rubio supporter who did not give his name said he plans to vote for the Florida Republican, because of his national security stance.

“[I liked] his thoughts on our military and rebuilding our military and updating our military. I also believe in his economic policies and his fiscal policies. I’m a Roman Catholic as well, and I really value the fact that his influence the way he lives day to day and the way he’d lead this country.”

Follow Kerry on Twitter