‘You’re a Freaking Sellout’ to Trump Said an Attendee. ‘He’s From the Party of Trump’ Said Another.
Despite repeated promises he would never run for political office again – including running to hold his Senate seat – if he lost the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, Marco Rubio is doing just that. And very poorly.
His Democratic opponent, Patrick Murphy, has received little help from the DNC yet Rubio is barely holding on – the last 3 polls RealClearPolitics lists had Rubio +2, tie, +2. Not great.
So naturally the Senator from Florida who loves to talk about his hispanic roots – his parents came to America from Cuba before Castro’s rise to power – headed to a hispanic festival Sunday to shore up his “base.”
It didn’t go well.Â
“It happened at Calle Orange, a street festival in downtown Orlando geared toward the city’s large Puerto Rican community,” NPR’s Adrian Florido, who attended the event, reports.Â
When the failed presidential candidate went on stage, “there was a spattering of boos from the crowd. When the emcee introduced the senator, they grew louder,” Florido writes.
“I’m going to introduce a man who represents Latinos, no matter where you’re from,” the emcee boomed in Spanish. The boos grew louder still. “Ladies and gentlemen, the senator for the state of Florida, a Latino like you and me … his name is Marco Rubio! Applaud!”
Instead, the boos rained down on the senator, drowning out what appeared to be a handful of supporters in the crowd.
“Thank you for having me today,” Rubio said, also in Spanish. “I want you to enjoy this day. We’re not going to talk about politics today. Thank God for this beautiful day, and for our freedom, our democracy, our vote and our country. God bless you all, thank you very much.”
Rubio walked off stage, “to more boos.”
Retired Army sergeant Angel Marin told Florido Rubio is “a freaking sellout” for endorsing Trump.
Another woman explained why, after 15 years, she’s going to vote for the first time, and not for Rubio or Republicans:
“He’s from the party of Trump,” Gretchen Valentin, who lives in Orlando, said in Spanish. She characterized her feelings toward Rubio as more distaste than dislike. Valentin moved to Florida from Puerto Rico 15 years ago, but said this election would be her first time voting. “I’ve never belonged to any political party, but this year, I’m inclined toward the Democrats. The little I’ve seen of Trump and the Republicans and how hard they’ve made it for immigrants has left me unconvinced with them.”
In May, Rubio was still promising he would not run for re-election.
In June, he disgracefully used the massacre at Orlando’s gay nightclub, Pulse, to claim there was a need for him to be in the Senate, and announced his re-election bid.
Listen to a longer audio clip above.
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Image: Screenshot via Adrian Florido/Twitter