The Rubio factor at a farmer’s market in Florida and in NY-23

Commentary by Kay B. Day

Marco Rubio has been all over the news, both branded media and conservative stalwarts like Human Events. Above, the former speaker of the Florida House graces the cover of National Review.GOP candidates took governorships in New Jersey and Virginia, but as I expected, the conservative lost in NY-23 after the GOP candidate dropped out and endorsed the Democrat. It was difficult for many Republicans to understand how Dierdre Scozzafava could receive the GOP nomination—her record is across-the-board Democrat. One offense: Scozzafava voted for a tax increase on the wealthy, but also on incomes as low as $68,103 for unmarried individuals or married individuals filing separate returns. She voted to liberalize foreclosure processes and received marginal ratings from small business groups. And at the last minute, she jumped ship. If GOP leadership hasn’t learned a lesson by now, they’re in for a rough ride in 2010. That would be due to what I call ‘The Rubio factor.’

I prowled a local farmer’s market this weekend and talked with a gentleman who described himself as a life-long educator. As soon as he told me that, I figured he was a union-card-carrying Democrat. After asking me what I do, and learning that I write a regular political column, he looked at me and asked, “What do you think of Marco Rubio?”

Before I could respond, the fellow said, “I really like him,” or something along those lines. And he went on to praise the former speaker of the Florida House who faces a power-packed, flush with money Gov. Charlie Crist for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Mel Martinez. In Florida Rubio has dominated every political conversation I’ve engaged in, even when I didn’t bring him up. Others have experienced the same thing--the Rubio factor. We’re not just talking grassroots here. Rubio’s small-government approach is music to the potential voter’s ears.

Democrats, Republicans, Republican Liberty Caucus members and true Independents are concerned about two things—the economy and federal spending. And most of us are smart enough to realize things started tanking after the Pelosi-Reid team took control of Congress. This isn’t all about President Barack Obama.

It’s about a Congress that is so far removed from the American people members voted to give themselves a raise as your average American household began to sharply cut corners. Talk to any small business owner. The economy, as adolescents like to say, sucks. And all that federal money hasn’t made a single bit of difference.

At the moment the people running this country are mostly Democratic royalty—leaders like Pelosi who basically inherited seats and kept the power in the family. They are political class elitists, and they disdain conservatives, Christians, anyone who isn’t a neoliberal and even their own constituency. When you see section 8 housing in Pelosi’s neighborhood, then you’d see real change.

GOP leadership anointed Crist and ignored Rubio although Rubio had earned his stripes and declared before Crist. Even worse, there have been some seriously distasteful smear tactics against Rubio, a sure sign you believe your candidate is weakly positioned on policy. Here’s a prediction—Rubio will win debates. Few come close to him when it comes to speaking, recall of facts and a commitment to conservatism. He definitely has the 'it' factor, and that disturbs neoliberal columnists no end.

Voters who declare themselves Republicans in Florida are not over the presidential election—in particular, the governor endorsing a candidate on the eve of the primary and then refusing to really work to get him elected. There’s the famous Obama-hug factor, a widely published Kodak moment bringing scowls to low tax-small government conservatives. Neo-Liberals praise Florida’s taking of the stimulus money, but then again, they can’t look far enough down the road to understand that a tab will come due and when it does it will hurt the most vulnerable among us. Just read historical accounts of the Great Depression.

The Rubio factor hit me in the face last weekend on a crisp fall afternoon as I meandered along tables of orange blossom honey (outstanding), locally roasted coffee beans (a bit bitter) and homemade bread (remarkable).

When a long-time educator stands before you and freely declares admiration for a conservative candidate, a candidate GOP leadership refused to respect and missed the boat on assessing talents, that is the Rubio factor. It’s serious and the flagrant fiasco with Scozzafava proved it in NY-23.