It’s hardly an original concept – every candidate, of every party, in every election, espouses their love of country. It’s so conventional that voters tune it out or fail to take notice. Yet with Rubio – who talks about how America “isn’t just a country, it’s a place that literally changed the history of my family” – it’s becoming a thematic centerpiece of his campaign.
Luntz conducted a focus group on Thursday night with New Hampshire Republicans and independents likely to vote in next year’s GOP primary. He heard something that he’s been hearing across the country – that Republicans “are desperate to replace the president with someone who is patriotic and not afraid to talk about it.” But when he proceeded to ask about specific candidates, he realized Rubio was breaking through. “I heard it last night,” Luntz said. “The language they used is that he’s ‘passionately patriotic.'”
Rubio earned the nickname “The Michael Jordan of Republican politics” for a reason; many GOP stalwarts believe he is the party’s most naturally gifted politician since Ronald Reagan. Those skills were on full display in this New Hampshire debut, and activists in other states are already buzzing about his arrival and how it will shake up the field.
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