Marco Rubio in New Hampshire: “Frustration isn’t enough to elect any Republican”

With Iowa and New Hampshire voting drawing near, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is focusing his message on being the only candidate running who can relate to everyday people.

“It is not enough to simply nominate someone who is upset and angry about the direction of our country,” Rubio said, adding it is not enough just to tap into the anger and frustration. Without mentioning either of the front-runners, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, by their names, Rubio pointed out that voters cannot just “elect any Republican” based on their frustration. “I’m frustrated and you’re frustrated and our next president should be someone who is frustrated,” Rubio said. “But that alone won’t be enough. Complaining will not be enough.”

Making several stops across New Hampshire on Friday, Rubio shared his plan for a New American Century in his last stop in Merrimack, NH, before he took off to Iowa for the last week making numerous campaign stops as well as partaking in the last debate before the Iowa caucus begins.

About 500 people crowded the small American Legion room in Merrimack to hear the Republican candidate who sits in third place nationally in the polls as well as third in New Hampshire. New Hampshire is well known for holding numerous town hall meetings conducted for voters to meet a presidential candidate up close in person, to listen to each of the candidates’ plans and to ask questions as a means to better understand the candidate to make a decision.

Introducing Rubio to the audience was a member of the Merrimack Legion Post, Chris Ager, a U.S. Army veteran who endorsed the Florida Senator recently. After the event, Ager told PolitiChicks his reason to why he endorsed Rubio than his rivals. “Rubio is the only candidate who can work with everyone to get things done without sacrificing his principles,” Ager said. “His message resonates with me and I feel he can pull the country together as oppose to the others.” When ask what how does he feel about the controversial “Gang of Eight” bill Rubio once sponsored, Ager described how the issue of immigration once ignored has now become a crisis. “Rubio was trying to reach out to the other side to work out the issue in a good faith effort to create a solution, but it didn’t work and now we have a crisis.”

On the issue of immigration, a vulnerable topic that has hurt Rubio where his GOP rivals have attacked him for his co-authoring “the gang of eight” comprehensive immigration bill in 2013. Rubio has defended his position, arguing he rejected the bill once it became clear it would not gain the support from his fellow republicans.

“The issue now above everything else is about keeping ISIS out of America,” Rubio said, promising if he becomes President any ISIS militant who are captured will get a “one way ticket to Guantanamo.”

Rubio took several digs at President Obama and Hillary Clinton, pitching himself as the best-positioned candidate that can beat either or nominee and to create a “new American century.” Discussing the president’s unconstitutional executive orders, Rubio said, when sworn in, he will take an oath to defend the constitution. “Unlike Barack Obama, I’ll mean it.”

When asked by an audience supporter on how he would handle the occupiers standoff in Oregon that was led by Ammon Bundy. “They should be prosecuted,” Rubio said in response to the occupiers, but added the federal government should avoid in any sorts of violence against the armed group of men who currently occupy the area.

“The being said, you can’t be lawless.”