Peter King endorses Rubio

Once considered a potential presidential candidate himself, Congressman Peter King has made his choice for who he would like to see secure the Republican nomination for the nation’s highest office.

King has thrown his support behind Marco Rubio, the 44-year-old senator from Florida. “He’s not your classic Republican politician,” said King, the 12-term Congressman from Seaford who will be seeking re-election to the House of Representatives in November.

With the Republican field of presidential candidates dwindling, King finally decided to make his endorsement, which he announced on Feb. 23. Rubio had finished second in the South Carolina primary just three days earlier.

King said he initially wanted to see former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush win the nomination, although he hadn’t formally endorsed the brother and son of two former presidents. With Bush dropping out of the race, King chose to support Rubio over Donald Trump, who won Nevada, South Carolina and Iowa, and Sen. Ted Cruz who finished first in the Iowa Caucus.

The Congressman said he has never considered endorsing Cruz and doesn’t particularly care for the Texas senator, and was unable to rationalize an endorsement of Trump. “He shows no knowledge of foreign policy, no knowledge of fighting terrorism,” King said of Trump, adding that he also doesn’t like the way the billionaire attacks people in his own party.

King has become a prominent figure regarding national security, appearing regularly on national news shows to talk about the issue. He has twice served as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and also is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

According to King, he and Rubio share many beliefs, including the importance of surveillance, keeping Guantanamo Bay open, and keeping the United States involved in the world’s fight against terrorism. “He’s by far the most qualified as far as national security and homeland security, which are the issues most important to me,” King said of Rubio.

He is also pleased that Rubio supported the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act to cover the medical expenses of workers who were at the World Trade Center site in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. King said that many lawmakers saw the bill as a “gift to New York City” and wouldn’t get behind it, but Rubio saw it as an American issue and fully supported the funding.

King said that the Republican debates, so far, have proved to be good forums for Trump who was able to avoid giving detailed answers with so many candidates on stage. But as the herd thins, King said Trump will likely become more exposed.

On the Democratic side, King said he believes Hillary Clinton will ultimately win the nomination over Bernie Sanders. He said of the remaining Republican candidates, Rubio would match up best against her in November. “In the fall campaign, he would definitely be our strongest candidate against Hillary Clinton,” King said. “He has all the ingredients for a winning campaign — inspiration, judgment, and vision. He can be trusted to deliver real results once he is in office.”

New York’s presidential primary is April 19.