Great Scotts! Rubio and Trump Rake in Post-Iowa Endorsements
Just in time for New Hampshire
He’s appeared at campaign events with Sen. Rubio in South Carolina, but today Sen. Tim Scott made his endorsement official.
Rumors of the endorsement began last night amid the Iowa excitement. This morning, Sen. Rubio’s presidential campaign released the following video:
Sen. Scott joins Rep. Trey Gowdy, Rep. Mia Love, Rep. Darrel Issa, Sen. Cory Gardner, and Rep. Jason Chaffetz in endorsing Marco Rubio.
But that’s not the only Scott endorsement today. Former Massachusetts Senator and Cosmo Centerfold, Scott Brown will endorse Donald Trump at a New Hampshire rally tonight.
According to the Washington Post:
Brown’s decision has been closely guarded for days, but it was confirmed by two people familiar with the event, where Brown will appear onstage with the candidate.
When reached early Tuesday afternoon, the Trump campaign’s spokesperson would not discuss the rally or possible guests. Brown was unavailable for comment.
Brown’s move could give Trump a significant boost one day after the mogul lost the Iowa caucuses to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
Although Brown was defeated in his senatorial bid here, he has been a popular GOP figure in New England ever since his stunning, come-from-behind victory in Massachusetts’s special election to fill the Senate seat in 2010.
Brown is also a favorite of many establishment Republicans because of his centrist positions, including support for abortion rights and for a ban on assault weapons. His profile and personality, however, are blue collar and populist. He drove a pickup truck during his Senate bids and is a habitué of Cheap Trick concerts.
On the endorsement front, Brown is the first U.S. senator, current or former, to formally back Trump.
Brown’s endorsement rankled old-school Tea Partiers:
I'll never forgive Scott Brown for using the Tea Party to win and then shitting on us as soon as he won. Love Trump, but this isn't helping
— Dustin Stockton (@DustinStockton) February 2, 2016
And drew criticisms of opportunism:
Not sure how Scott Brown helps Trump shed the image of an opportunistic, power-hungry, chronic under performer. I guess we'll see.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 2, 2016
“Scott Brown is the former Senator from Massachusetts who moved to New Hampshire to try to get back in the Senate. He is desperate to get back to Washington,” writes Erick Erickson.
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Comments
Sen. Tim Scott endorsement = net gain Rubio
Former Sen. Scott Brown = net phffffft for T-rump
Brown & Trump = Two anchors clinging to one another hoping not to drown. The NH GOP has already rejected Brown in his 2014 Senate bid, lost to Jeanne Shaheen. Who? Exactly.
Brown and Romney endorsed one another in their respective lost races. Not only is Trump cozying up to establishment squishes, he’s cozying up to establishment squish losers. Still, it’s New England, after all. Won’t help, won’t hurt. Wash.
Maybe Romney will endorse Trump. They both describe themselves as, ahem, severe conservatives.
Won’t Mitt endorse Rubio? Sen Rubio’s the establishment Repub this cycle. Moderate and electable like McCain and Romney himself. And unlike Cruz and Trump (the bomb-throwing radicals).
I was being facetious with the idea that Romney would endorse Trump. Of course he wouldn’t. I suspect Romney won’t be endorsing anyone anytime soon, but if he did Rubio would be as likely as anyone.
Sad and interesting, though…
TEA party bones are littering the primary landscape.
Palin sells out to Donald Ducks, and now the pretty boy we supported because we WERE TEA party people and he made teh right statements endorses the NE Progressive, Mr. Establishment.
As I say…sad…
I smell establishment hijinks, they are dead afraid of Cruz.
GOP Est. is scared out of their wits of either Cruz and Trump, or Trump And Cruz, or just Cruz, or just Trump.
Why? Because of us, the base they hate.
Figure it out. Continued all out combat between Cruz & Trump is a win for the GOP est., for Marco Rubio.
Cruz said it himself during his victory speech last night – that the GOPe doesn’t fear him at all, but they are scared to death of Cruz’ voters.
Rubio, Scott, and Brown: I am amazed that I contributed at least once before 2015 to each of them. Never again, to any of them.
BTW: When I first saw that “Brown” had endorsed Trump, I figured it was Jerry Brown.
I would have thought Charlie Brown
But, but, but, Cruz won!
/sarc
It looks like a New England voter carrot stick.
Trump might consider that collecting the endorsements of political has-beens like Palin and Brown might not be helpful.