Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign is a lean machine. You’d be hard pressed to a Rubio staffer living the high life in lavash accommodations, courtesy of campaign donations.
How does Sen. Rubio’s campaign spend its money?
They stand in number-ordered line at the Southwest gate just like the rest of us.
Team Marco says, “Rather than relying on charter flights on private jets, Marco and the team flies commercial. To date, we’ve flown on American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Jet Blue, Southwest, Spirit, United Airlines, US Airlines, and Virgin America.”
Rubio’s campaign crew consists of 54 full-time staffers. Considerably lean for a nation-wide campaign polling in the top five. Team Rubio’s loyal volunteer base makes lean staffing possible.
“We’re not picky about where we sleep either. You can usually find us overnighting in one of these hotels when we’re on the road: Country Inn & Suites, Courtyard, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn, Marriott, or Sheraton,” says Team Rubio.
Team Rubio takes advantage of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. According to Team Rubio, from July to September they used Uber a whopping 330 times.
According to Open Secrets, Rubio’s campaign gave back $120,000 in excess donations.
Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) presidential campaign has given back more than $120,000 to individuals who donated more money than the campaign could accept under federal regulations during the second quarter of this year, according to a Sept. 10 letter from the group’s treasurer to the Federal Election Commission.The campaign issued refunds of between $3.05 and $10,000 to 50 individuals whose contributions came to more than the federal limits. The largest refund of $10,000 went to Ernest Semersky, who owns a Porsche dealership in Highland Park, Ill. Individuals are capped at giving $2,700 per election – primary and general – to a federal candidate committee. The FEC wrote to the campaign on Aug. 6, pointing out that about 90 individuals appeared to have given too much.
Team Rubio says they’re always looking for ways to save cash, including buying furniture from Craig’s List.
PACs aside, Rubio’s campaign has raised more than $24 million, 94% of which came from individual contributions. Team Rubio seems to be putting those dollars to good use.
A poll released by NBC News Monday evening showed Sen. Rubio polling in third place.
Fox News tagged along with Sen. Rubio for a few days to get a taste of campaign life.
[h/t Team Rubio]
Follow Kemberlee on Twitter @kemberleekaye
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