The Club for Growth Endorses Marco Rubio

Clifton at Another Black Conservative says let the RINO hunting begin! and with The Club for Growth's endorsement Marco Rubio is ready to to do just that.

From the endorsement:

"Marco Rubio is the real deal, one of the brightest young stars in American politics today, and a proven champion of economic liberty," said Club President Chris Chocola. "He is a dynamic spokesman for the principles of limited government and economic freedom, and he will make a fantastic Senator."

Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000-2008, and was elected to the Republican leadership as Majority Whip, Majority Leader, and finally, Speaker of the House. Rubio is an advocate of lower federal spending, tax relief and tax reform, union members' right to a secret ballot, and market-driven energy and environmental solutions.

Rubio's Republican primary opponent is Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who supported President Obama's $787 billion stimulus, proposed a state "cap-and-trade" energy program, and this summer broke his pledge not to sign any state tax increases.

It is believed that Crist will try to counter by claiming that while Rubio was Speaker that he tried to increase Florida's sales tax. Of course, Crist will conveniently forget to tell the rest of the story-Rubio had proposed the increased sales tax in exchange for the elimination of the property tax on primary residences. It is worth noting that we Floridians received our property tax bills last week and we are not happy. Our property values plummeted but our tax bills went up. We would not be in this position had Rubio's proposal gone through and given Crist's record, I am not sure that he should dwell on the subject of increased taxes.

Pat, writing at And So it Goes in Shreveport, points out that Rubio has also picked up the Family Research Council Action PAC endorsement and won another straw poll. This one was in Okaloosa, where he beat Crist 86 to 4.

There is little doubt that Rubio is the Conservative in this race. Between now and the August primary, Crist will try to convince the voters that he, too, is a Conservative. In order to do this, he will have to run against his own record-no easy task.