Should Marco Rubio decide to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate, despite earlier assurances to the contrary, it would mirror his notable flip-flop on immigration and underscore his lack of guiding convictions beyond political opportunism, America’s Voice said today.
As close observers of Senator Rubio’s immigration positioning during the past six years, we saw him turn his back on his lone legislative accomplishment during his first term by disavowing the Senate comprehensive immigration bill that he had helped to shape. Then, Rubio went even further, embracing a series of hardline immigration stances that included a promise to end the DACA program for Dreamers on day one of his potential presidency (after previously stating that doing so would be “deeply disruptive” for Dreamers).
Rubio also championed aggressive, enforcement-first policies that added up to a good approximation of Mitt Romney’s “self-deportation” plan, in contrast to the comprehensive solution Rubio had previously championed. See here for a detailed assessment of Rubio’s “step-by-step” immigration approach, including why it wouldn’t lead to an achievable path to citizenship, and how it is best viewed as a political and rhetorical sales job rather than a policy proposal to take seriously.
In fact, Rubio has had so many backtracking, contortionist moments on immigration that he inspired Floridian (and America’s Voice staffer) Juan Escalante to write this scathing post: “10 Times Marco Rubio Turned His Back on Immigrants.”
According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, “Marco Rubio is a lot more political weathervane than principled leader. From his 180 degree turn on his Senate prospects to his devolution from immigration reformer to immigration hardliner, Senator Rubio’s only consistent conviction appears to be the pursuit of personal ambition and political power.”
For More:
- Op-Ed in Miami Heraldby Maribel Hastings and Juan Escalante: “Rubio’s Surprising Embrace of Trump”
- Juan Escalante, “10 Times Marco Rubio Turned His Back on Immigrants”
- Frank Sharry Op-Ed, “How Marco Rubio Embodies the GOP’s Failures on Trump and Immigration”
