Elections

Jim Inhofe Dodges Endorsing Rubio Challenge Against Potential President Trump: ‘Who Knows, Who Knows’ [VIDEO]

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Katie Frates Editor-in-chief of The Daily Walkthrough
Font Size:

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe endorsed former Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio earlier in the election cycle, but wouldn’t say he’d do it again if Rubio runs against a potential President Donald Trump.

Speaking with The Daily Caller News Foundation Wednesday at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Inhofe hesitated before saying anything is better than Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

“Marco Rubio, first of all, is a good friend,” Inhofe told TheDCNF. “When he first ran for the United States Senate, we have kind of a rule in the Senate that everyone is going to support the same person, and they’re all supporting the governor, and I don’t like the governor. So I was the only Republican United States senator to support Rubio.”

“He’s young, he’s brilliant, he’s right on all the issues, and he’s just a charming person.”

“I think, maybe you and I could be talking four or eight years from now, thinking, ‘Well, that ended up to be, maybe it wasn’t quite his time,’ but I thought it was, I thought he was good,” Inhofe said.

But when asked if he would support Rubio if he challenged a hypothetical President Trump in four years, Inhofe wouldn’t say.

“Oh, who knows, who knows, I just want to get rid of Hillary, one thing at a time,” Inhofe told TheDCNF.

Inhofe endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich after Rubio dropped out, before finally endorsing Trump when Kasich also bowed out.

Trump was officially nominated as the Republican presidential nominee late Tuesday with 1,725 delegates. He needed 1,237 to secure the nomination.

“In fact, with all 17 Republicans lined up there, I was really surprised. If someone had said who do you think doesn’t have a chance, I would have said Trump, but here he is,” Inhofe said.

Follow Katie on Twitter

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.