Sen. Marco Rubio turns 44 with much ado on Thursday, journeying to Las Vegas for a private celebration hosted by Rick Harrison, star of the History Channel’s reality show “Pawn Stars.” The presidential hopeful will make an appearance at the World Famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in the glittering town. Mr. Harrison, meanwhile, is not much of a fan of Obamacare, or the Obama administration’s treatment of small businesses. It’s still a campaign-minded celebration, however.
“We’re hoping to surprise him by raising $44,000 in honor of his 44th birthday,” advises the Rubio campaign team.
None of this is lost on the Democratic National Committee, which has created its own mock pawn shop sign for Mr. Rubio’s campaign. They are on a roll.
“Marco Rubio will be attending a fundraiser with the host of Pawn Stars. This is a fitting theme for Mr. Rubio, as his entire campaign is pawning off old, failed GOP ideas as new,” the DNC says in a public outreach.
“He supports the old, rejected GOP policy of ending Medicare as we know it. He opposes comprehensive immigration reform. The ’21st century candidate’ opposes marriage equality and equal pay legislation. Dusting off these old ideas and trying to pawn himself off as something new isn’t going to work.”
Mr. Rubio, however, has some local muscle in a region of pivotal political importance, with a considerable Latino voting bloc. Nevada Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison serves as co-host of the birthday event - and is also the state coordinator of Mr. Rubio’s campaign. Mr. Hutchison bills him as a “new generation conservative.” Several local grassroots campaign events are planned.
Mr. Rubio has other reasons to be in the Silver State, however. His trip is also a homecoming of sorts. The candidate spent six years in Las Vegas as a youngster before moving to Miami with his family, and the political career that followed.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.