SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio continues to show up in national and state polling as one of the top three Republican candidates vying for the White House in 2016.
Wednesday, his campaign in Illinois submitted a full delegate slate with a impressive list of Republican conservative office holders and activists, including former and current members of the U.S. Congress, the Illinois Senate and House, as well as GOP officials throughout the state.
The same day, Rubio released the following campaign ad in Iowa. In the first state to hold a 2016 primary contest, Rubio's clearly not ceding Iowa's all-important evangelical vote to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz or Donald Trump.
Rubio's ad called "Faith," says:
Our goal is eternity, the ability to live alongside our Creator and for all time, to accept the free gift of salvation offered to us by Jesus Christ. The struggle on a daily basis as a Christian is to remind ourselves of this. The purpose of our life is to cooperate with God’s plan, to those who much has been given much is expected and we will be asked to account for that. Were your treasures stored up on earth or in Heaven and to me I try to allow that to influence me in everything that I do.
New Congress member Darin LaHood - the highest ranking Illinois Republican elected officials officially behind Rubio – announced his support for Rubio in October.
“Senator Rubio’s uplifting plan to create good paying 21st Century jobs will ensure more people are able to achieve the American Dream. Marco is a transformational leader, with a bold vision for a New American Century. I am proud to be a part of his team, and I look forward to serving as Co-Chair of his Illinois presidential campaign,” LaHood said.
Former Congress members Tom Ewing, Tom Johnson and Bobby Schilling are running on the March 15th ballot as Rubio delegates.
Former candidate for lieutenant governor Jason Plummer is on the Rubio slate for the 15th CD.
Al Salvi, a former Republican State Representative and candidate for United States Senate and Illinois Secretary of State, is on the Rubio team, a statement from the campaign says, "as a champion of conservative ideology and a frontline warrior against government overreach, as demonstrated in his battle with notorious Internal Revenue Service bureaucrat Lois Lerner, who reportedly used IRS threats in an attempt to chase him from public service."
From the Illinois Senate Republicans, Rubio state co-chairman Mike Connelly is a Rubio delegate candidate, along with Jim Oberweis, Jason Barickman, Dale Righter and Dan Duffy.
Several Illinois House Republicans are among Rubio delegate candidates, including Mike Fortner, Tom Morrison, Terri Bryant, Keith Wheeler, Sheri Jesiel, Margo McDermed, Barbara Wheeler, CD Davidsmeyer and Michael Unes.
Connelly, Duffy, Morrison, and Barb Wheeler all hold 100% ratings with the national American Conservative Union.
Local officer holders such as Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, Ogle County Board member Zachary Oltmanns, DuPage County GOP Chairman Darlene Ruscitti, DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan, Lake County Board member Nick Sauer and former Cook County Board Commissioner Herb Schumann are among Rubio's team.
Chicago 42nd Ward GOP Chairman Eloise Gerson is listed, as is Maine Township GOP Committeeman Char Foss-Eggemann.
Monee Mayor Jay Farquhar and Chicago community activist Corey Brooks are also among the Rubio delegates.
That’s a great group of conservatives supporting RUBIO. Early in the week, Illinois Review published the supporters for Ted Cruz which wax also inpressive. I would say these two are the top two picks among republican leaders and what some sre calling the new “establishment.”
I hope Illinois Review can publish the Donald Trump supporters and delegates. While popular with democrats and the media, I know very few likely republican primary voters who plan to vote for him in Iowa or Illinois.
I am now predicting that Ted Cruz wins in Iowa.
Impressive list from the Rubio people. Best so far that has been released.
Rubio is bought and paid for.
Rubio’s 10 million dollar man:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/norman-bramans-support-could-prove-pivotal-for-marco-rubios-presidential/2222199
Rubio will not be the nominee.
Impressive group of leaders. Connelly & LaHood have assembled a solid line up.
Except for Tom Morrison, Dan Duffy and maybe Darrin LaHood, most of the rest are strictly conservative in name only. I can assure you most of the ones from Lake County are pro-amnesty for illegals. I feel sorry for the good ones on this list. Everything I know about Marco Rubio—including people who know him very well—is that he is the worst back stabbing politician running for President as a Republican—yes, worse than Kasich, Christie and Fiorina. At least those Rinos keep their deals. Everyone from his wife to Jeb knows Rubio can’t keep any promises.
AWESOME LIST of great Illinoisans, who are fighting to reclaim our state!!!
MARCO RUBIO ALL THE WAY!!!
If you like your Presidents bought and paid for,
Rubio is your guy!
Wow. That list of do-nothings is nearly as large as the Jeb list.
Does this mean everyone on the list is a flip-flopping amnesty whore?
it means 1 of 2 things:
1) everyone on the list is a flip-flopping amnesty whore
Or
2) everyone on the list is perfectly fine with representing their district on behalf of – and all are totally enamored with – a flip-flopping amnesty whore
This SHOULD cause great concern for the constituents of the people on this list
Wow. Maybe you should grab a dictionary and look up the word “amnesty.” You have no idea what you are talking about.
There are some moderates on this list, but anyone who claims there aren’t some great conservative leaders are complete hacks. Bought and paid for…name a candidate this side of Jim Gilmore that doesn’t have $$$ funders.
I’m a delegate for Rubio and I have one question: Who is Mike Connelly?
Man, Grant Noble sure has some wonderful sources. He probably helped track down El Chapo yesterday. I want Grant Noble to run the CIA. He’s sooooo smart.
I love Sam Pierce…but I hate when he says stupid stuff like the above. Seriously, gents, grow up.
Look at this list of RINOs supporting Rubio – Trey Gowdy, Barbara Comstock, Jason Chaffetz, Cory Gardner, Phil Gramm, Steve Daines, Jim Risch, Chris Chocola, Darrell Issa, and on and on and on. But Grant Noble knows more than them.
Just curious where the story about Trump’s delegate slate is? Considering some of the columnists on this site were seemingly dismissive of his ability to get petitions signed and a full delegate slate filed, I wonder where the analysis of how wrong this view is? Trump not only has a full delegate slate, he did it on the first day. Rubio’s team must have had to make sure they had everything in order because they were not there the first day.
Their is only one person who is not bought and paid for. We only have one more chance to save our great country. Donald J Trump. Is the man that can and will make America Great Again..