Tonight’s debate comes as Ben Carson has overtaken Donald Trump in first place, but the fight for third is where the elbows will really be out. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Jeb Bush are all in a fierce battle to gain traction in a crowded field despite having eerily similar out-of-touch policies, which makes sense since they’re still auditioning for billionaires like the Koch Brothers.
Marco Rubio has the most to lose if he turns out a meager performance at tonight’s debate. He’s struggled to gain among voters and donors alike: Garnering 8 percent nationally and raising $5.7 million — less than half of Cruz and a third of Carson — last quarter doesn’t inspire primary voters. The increased scrutiny he’s received in the last month has opened him to criticism over avoiding his day job in the Senate.
While Rubio has a knack for spinning, he’s no different on extreme ideas and policies. His tax plan is a gift to the Koch brothers and other millionaires and billionaires (especially on capital gains); he’s reckless on women’s health by opposing choice even for rape and incest; he denies climate change; and he’s thrown his lot in with the hawks on both immigration and foreign policy issues.
Cruz is “sitting on the most money of any Republican candidate in the field,” according to Politico, and continues to drag others to the right. He’s hoping that Tea Partiers and Evangelicals will swarm to him if Trump or Carson ever fall back to earth.
Bush is fresh off a 40 percent staff reduction and weekend confab with his father and brother to do everything possible to reassure donors their investment is sound. He’s simply trying to deflect any barbs thrown his way and stay above water at this point.
So remember tonight, while the Republicans are racing further to the right on stage in Boulder: Marco Rubio is just another far-right Republican trying his darndest to convince voters that he’s a fresh face despite his outdated and extreme positions. It’s an argument that’s failed so far.
Published: Oct 28, 2015