A Spanish-language radio ad
supporting Newt Gingrich’s candidacy in Florida and accusing Mitt Romney of
being “anti-immigrant” has been removed by the Gingrich campaign after, among
others, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio scolded the former Speaker.
“This kind of language is more than just unfortunate. It’s inaccurate,
inflammatory, and doesn’t belong in this campaign,” Rubio told the Miami
Herald. “The truth is that neither of these two men is
anti-immigrant,” Rubio said. “Both are pro-legal immigration and both have
positive messages that play well in the Hispanic community.”
Gingrich’s campaign immediately took control of the situation, praising
Rubio and taking the ad down. Rubio had equally harsh words for the Gingrich
campaign after the Speaker pounced on media reports about the Romney campaign
hiring a number of former Gov. Charlie Crist’s 2010 Senate campaign staff. Many
of Romney’s current Florida staffers bolted the Crist campaign after he left
the party and declared an independent bid for Florida’s open Senate seat. Gingrich’s
campaign, meanwhile, has hired a number of former Rubio staffers.
Hispanic voters make up the majority of Florida’s Republicans and in populous
Miami Dade, of the 54,000 ballots already cast, nearly three quarters of those
are from Hispanic voters.
Rubio, meanwhile, is on every candidate’s short list of potential vice
presidential nominees. It is no surprise that both campaigns want to court the
favor of freshman Sen. Rubio. Based on the last two days of confrontation,
however, it appears that Romney currently holds the senator’s favor.
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