Meanwhile, Trump continued ramping up his criticism of Rubio at a rally about 60 miles from the one Bush held here Wednesday evening, accusing Rubio of being soft on immigration and “very disloyal” to Bush.

The comments from Bush and Trump, which came amid Rubio’s rise in state and national surveys following the second televised debate, highlighted the senator from Florida’s new prominence in the race but also his status as a top target of criticism from his rivals.

“I’m a proven leader,” Bush told CNN’s Dana Bash before his town hall. “I disrupted the old order in Tallahassee. I relied on people like Marco Rubio and many others to follow my leadership, and we moved the needle.”

Bush did not mention Rubio during his town hall. Afterward, he told reporters that he is “close friends” with Rubio but acknowledged that “it’s a little awkward” that the two are running against each other.