Mitt Romney Robocalls For Kasich And Rubio
Mitt Romney has been busy recording robocalls for both John Kasich and Marco Rubio. Last week, the failed GOP nominee gave a strong anti-Donald Trump speech, which likely thrilled members of the Republican establishment who do not want the political outsider to become the next President of the United States.
The Mitt Romney robocalls were issued to states that vote in today’s primaries, Fox News reports. Next Tuesday, the winner-take-all state races begin. Ohio Governor John Kasich has stated multiple times that he expects to win his home state next week and feels confident about his chances for victory in Michigan today.
Mitt Romney records robocalls to encourage voters to cast ballots for John Kasich: https://t.co/s67NqddMzQ pic.twitter.com/vIblHnlIKa
— ABC News (@ABC) March 8, 2016
Voters take to the polls in Michigan, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Idaho today. Mitt Romney staffers still staunchly maintain that the Republican is not endorsing any particular candidate with the robocalls but is merely working diligently to defeat Donald Trump.
“Governor Romney has offered and is glad to help Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Gov. John Kasich in any way he can,” a Romney source stated in a media release. “He’s been clear that he believes that Donald Trump is not the best person to represent the Republican Party and will do what he can to support a strong nominee who holds conservative values to win back the White House.”
Mitt Romney could ultimately endorse a candidate in the Republican primary, but he does not appear to have a desire to select between establishment-approved candidates Marco Rubio and John Kasich. The robocalls were reportedly more targeted to convince voters to change their minds about voting for Donald Trump than they were to usher in support for either Kasich or Rubio.
If Donald Trump does not hit the magic number of delegates, 1,237, to clinch the Republican nomination prior to the GOP convention in Cleveland, a brokered convention could be initiated for the first time in decades. The vocal opposition to the party front-runner has caused some of the millions of Americans casting ballots for Trump to feel not only insulted by the idea they are not capable of making up their own minds about who should become the next president, but it also solidified beliefs that the party is completely out of touch with the rank and file.
During the pro-Marco Rubio robocall, Mitt Romney said voters should choose a “candidate who can defeat Hillary Clinton and make us proud,” the New York Times reports.
“If we Republicans were to choose Donald Trump as our nominee, I believe that the prospects for a safe and prosperous future would be greatly diminished — and I’m convinced Donald Trump would lose to Hillary Clinton,” Romney also reportedly stated during the Rubio robocalls.
.@MittRomney cuts get-out-the-vote robocalls for @marcorubio https://t.co/lpTgYLYTWY pic.twitter.com/ezXiEs7ZMD
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 8, 2016
Marco Rubio was trailing Donald Trump in Michigan, according to the latest polls. John Kasich and Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz are the closest challengers to the political outsider in that state. Michigan offers the top delegate prize this week, causing all of the remaining GOP candidates to focus their efforts on enticing voters in the state plagued by the Flint water crisis and job loss.
To date, Marco Rubio has only won two of the 20 conducted caucuses and primaries. Rubio won in the non-state of Puerto Rico, which can cast ballots for delegates in the primary but not vote in the general election. The Florida Senator also won in the state of Minnesota. Donald Trump is also working hard to beat Rubio in his home state during the next wave of primaries on March 15.
What do you think about the Mitt Romney robocalls? Is the Republican establishment insulting its voters by coming out against the current front-runner?
[Photo by Richard Drew/AP]
