Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who has not formally endorsed anyone in the GOP primary, introduced Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) today in her home state as a fighter for the American Dream.
Ernst told the crowd it’s “an exciting week for conservatives across the state of Iowa.” Voters go to caucus next Monday.
“We’ve got a lot of attention out there,” she noted. “…What we want to do is take a look at the candidates as they’re coming across the state of Iowa, and hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to meet many of them.”
The freshman senator stressed that she would keep her promise to not endorse anyone in next week’s caucus.
She introduced Rubio as “someone very near and dear to my heart, and a good friend to me.”
“Over the course of my time in the Senate, I have had the opportunity to work with Senator Marco Rubio on national security. We have had that opportunity to discuss the threats to America. He does understand those threats very well,” Ernst said. “I know he has the confidence necessary in a leader to contain or destroy ISIS. I watched him fight that fight.”
“Beyond our national security, he is a father just as I am a mother,” she continued. “And I know that he wants to work hard to make sure that that American Dream is alive for our children. Through our national security, through our economy — he wants to make sure that we have an America we are going to be proud of. I’ve seen him fight that for his children, for my children, and for your children as well.”
Iowa’s senior senator, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), introduced Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday. “We have an opportunity once again to make America great again,” Grassley said.
“I’m excited to be invited to be here. I’m excited as I see so many large crowd at various events around Iowa,” he said. “I’m excited to see the big crowds because of the big energy that comes with it and we’ve got to keep up this energy that’s shown here today and many other places around Iowa because that is what is going to take for us to win back the White House in November.”
However, Grassley did not endorse Trump.
In fact, this week the senator is introducing Rubio at a rally and hitting the campaign trail with Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Out of his Senate colleagues, Rubio has endorsements from Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.).
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