On Wednesday's Hugh Hewitt Radio Show, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough declared that Jeb Bush would beat Marco Rubio in the GOP primary in their home state of Florida. The Republican Party, Scarborough said, has learned the "terrible lesson from Democrats" and Barack Obama that "you just don’t nominate a first term Senator."
When Hewitt asked the Morning Joe host (whose previous job was as a Congressman from Florida) which of the native sons would win the Florida primary, Scarborough seemed to vacillate. First he said Bush would win, then he talked about Bush's education policy being a problem for him. He finally settled on Jeb Bush because, as he said, "I think Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted [Cruz] are going to have an up hill battle mainly because of the terrible example set by Barack Obama. In that situation, tie goes to the governor."
Hewitt: When Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio square off on March 15th 2016 in the Florida winner-take-all primary, who wins?
Scarborough: Well I think Jeb because he was governor and was fairly popular. I think Jeb ought to do fairly well. That said, you know, Marco took on the other governor and he beat him. He beat him, Charlie Crist, and right now I think there’s going to be a lot of Florida voters in the primary as well as a lot of Republicans nationwide that look at Jeb’s position on…mainly education, and wonder whether he’s the conservative they want. You know Jeb was extraordinarily popular as governor. I always say he’s one of my favorite politicians, but ... it’s just going to be tough for a lot of conservatives to look past his position on education more so than immigration.
Hewitt: So does Marco Rubio have a shot against Jeb Bush?
Scarborough: I don’t think so, I don’t think in the State of Florida. I mean Marco is able. I almost said young but that would reveal just how old I’ve become (laughter). I don’t want to say that, but I really do think the Republican Party has learned from the ... terrible lesson from Democrats that you just don’t nominate a first term Senator. I think Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted [Cruz] are going to have an up hill battle mainly because of the terrible example set by Barack Obama. In that situation, tie goes to the governor.
