Marco Rubio — in a campaign first — blasted out an email to reporters of a disparaging news article on businessman Donald Trump, an action that may be indicative that the Florida senator is ready to take on the Republican front-runner in Thursday’s debate and change his campaign’s narrative.
Mr. Rubio’s team sent news reporters a New York Times report on Thursday that describes how Mr. Trump has tapped foreign workers to staff his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida and tagged the post as “FYI…”
Mr. Rubio has thus far refused to directly hit Mr. Trump, although he has engaged in man-to-man combat with Texas Sen Ted Cruz. Mr. Rubio’s team sends several suggestive articles on Mr. Cruz, most recently one of him pulling out of an event in Alabama, how Mr. Cruz spent big in Nevada but still came in third place, and of the Cruz campaign’s “dirty tricks.”
Many political strategists have become critical of Mr. Rubio’s decision not to hit Mr. Trump directly, some saying he’s aiming to become Mr. Trump’s vice president and questioning his ability to win the Republican nomination.
In a sharp shift on Wednesday evening, Mr. Rubio drew some battle lines with Mr. Trump saying Mr. Trump believes in some parts of Obamacare and has refused to come to Israel’s defense.
Mr. Rubio’s late night rally in Houston was a marked contrast from his appearance on the day’s morning talk shows where he told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that his campaign is not one that “attacks people.”
SEE ALSO: Donald Trump leads Marco Rubio by 16 points in Florida: Poll
Mr. Rubio, who has taken second place in South Carolina and Nevada to Mr. Trump’s wins, needs to come out victorious some states to propel his candidacy forward.
In his home state of Florida, he’s being crushed by Mr. Trump, 44 percent to 28 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
“It’s hard to see how Senator Rubio can win his party’s nomination without winning his home state,” said Peter A. Brown, director of the Quinnipiac poll.
The Republicans are scheduled to debate Thursday evening on CNN.
• Kelly Riddell can be reached at kriddell@washingtontimes.com.
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